Awakenings
by Black Komagoro
Summary: Harry and Draco are about to discover that sometimes, what you see is not what you get. Sometimes, the first evil is not the real one, sometimes you can't see what is just in front of your eyes. Crossover with an anime show you'll know later in the fic.
1. Chapter 01

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. HBP never happens here.

**Awakenings.**

Chapter 1

He sat up startled, there was a noise coming from his window. The old bars his uncle had put in his second year were not there anymore, it seemed that Dumbledore had seen to that, or that he thought. Harry looked up to see a small owl tapping on the window and he quickly raised his hand to open it, thinking it was a letter from Ron. But the bird was not Ron's owl, this one was all black and much more calm.

The small bird stood on his desk and extended his leg; Harry took the letter from it and before he could even blink the bird had flown away. He raised an eyebrow but didn't stop to think too much about it. He tore the envelope open and took the letter out, the ink was a light shade of purple and it didn't seem to be written with a quill, this was written with a muggle pen.

_Harry,_

_You don't know me, and you probably never will but it is of extreme importance that you take this information seriously. Soon, your world will change completely, and you will have to take the place that you were born to. _

_War is near, but not the war you think about, there's another. You must find those faithful to you and form what was once destroyed. You already used the power that is within you, a force the one once called Tom Riddle fears the most._

_You might find foes among friends, and friends among those you thought were foes. Do not let your past experiences numb your mind, be ready for the most important change of your life. _

_One last thing, believe in the power of love Harry… Love is such an amazing thing, a power that not even magic can be compared to._

_Sincerely yours,_

_D.M. _

Harry looked at the letter with a frown, the only one he knew with those initials was Draco Malfoy, but there was no way he could write something like that to him. Besides, there said he didn't know the person and that he probably never would. He took the letter and folded it again putting it inside the envelope again.

_What the hell was that about?!_

He put the letter into his trunk and sat on his bed once again, now that he was awake he wouldn't go back to sleep again. It didn't matter really; he always got that weird dream about a place that seemed in ruins and a boy with green eyes. He somehow knew he was not the boy he dreamt about, but that he was somehow related to him. Other times he would dream about another boy, one of beautiful blue eyes and royal stance.

However, there was a problem with no sleeping, and it was that he would start thinking about his godfather. Sirius death had left a void inside, he had been the closest thing to a father he had ever had. He couldn't stop thinking that it had been his fault, that he could have prevented his death.

_I'm so sorry Sirius… I should have known better than to believe that poor excuse of a house-elf you had… I should have known…_

Dumbledore, as well as Hermione, Ron and others had told him it was not his fault, that he had no way to know that the elf was lying. But he wouldn't accept that, he would take the blame for his death no matter what other said. And he would take revenge; he swore he would make Lestrange pay for what she did.

He sighed and tightened his fists, and was grateful that whatever Dumbledore had told the Dursleys had worked. They wouldn't even dare to look at him, he could come and go and they wouldn't say a word. Harry didn't leave the house too much, only when the Dursleys were making too much noise or Dudley had some friends with him.

His birthday had been just the day before and he hadn't opened all the presents his friends had sent him, he didn't feel like celebrating anything anyway, so he hid them in his trunk. He walked towards trunk at the end of his bed and opened it; at least it was a way to keep busy till morning. Harry opened the lid and looked inside, there were all the gifts his friends had sent, he took the first one and opened the letter attached to it.

_Harry,_

_I would like to be there with you, but dad says it's too dangerous to travel these days. I whish you a happy birthday, and I hope my gift cheers you up a little. I really would like to say more, but owl mail isn't safe anymore. Though there is something I can tell you, it seems that this year we will have decent defence classes again. It's not official, but I think Lupin will come back to the school._

_Anyway, I hope to see you soon mate!_

_Ron._

Harry smiled and put the letter aside hoping Ron was right about Lupin. He tore open Ron's present and his smile grew wider, it was huge box of chocolates, there were frogs, normal bars, magical chocolates that changed colours each time you bite them. He took one frog and ate it quickly, closing the box with the rest of the bars and took another gift. It was Hermione's, smiling he opened the letter and read it.

_Harry, _

_First, I wish you a happy birthday. I would like to know how you are, if you have been treated alright by your relatives. If not, just tell me and I'll show you some new tricks I learned when I visited the twins the other day (don't tell Ron ok?), you probably already know, but it seems that professor Lupin will come back this year. Personally I think that's great, having decent defence classes again. I hope you have been reading the Prophet, I know it has no news about attacks, but you never know and it is always better to be informed. _

_I hope you like this gift, for once is not about school._

_Be careful and take care,_

_Love,_

_Hermione._

He supposed she would say something like that, and he **had** been reading the Prophet but as she said there was nothing. He was sure now that Lupin would be their teacher again, if Hermione knew about it then there was no doubt. He took the present and knew that it was a book, but as she said it was not about school. Greatest Quidditch Players of the last Century.

"Thanks Mione"

He put the book next to the box Ron had given him and got the next, it was from Hagrid. It had just a small note wishing him a nice birthday and hopes to see him soon. He knew Hagrid was busy working for the Order and taking care of the creatures at the school so he didn't mind his big friend saying so little. The gift where some more candy and a small box that had unicorn hair in it. He was really surprised, that was very expensive and even when he knew Hagrid just got it from the animals in the forest, he knew they meant a lot for the half-giant. He got a cake and another letter from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, they also wished him a nice birthday, but also said they missed him a lot and hoped to see him soon.

There was a box of jokes sent by the twins and he wasn't sure if he should open it. But, from all his gifts the one which affected him the most, came from Remus Lupin; he had sent him a book, with Sirius' name in one corner. The letter though, he didn't understand, the way he wrote about his godfather and the book, it seemed the werewolf was taking Sirius death even worst than him.

_Harry,_

_I know I should say happy birthday, but I know it has not been happy for you, and I'm sorry. The book I'm giving to you, as you have probably already seen, once belonged to Sirius. He's giving it to you now, because you'll need it more than him. But I warn you Harry, be careful when using it, or he'll never forgive himself if something happens to you._

_Please be careful, things have been too quiet and that's never a good sign. I'll try to contact you as soon as I can, but since the ministry incident things have been quite difficult for us. If anything unusual happens contact Dumbledore immediately._

_Love,_

_Remus._

Remus talked about Sirius as if he were still alive, and that really worried him. Without him, Remus was completely alone now; all his friends had now gone forever. Harry felt really bad for him and didn't know how to help him. He only hoped Remus could deal better with his friend's death when he started teaching again, at least he would have something to keep his mind busy.

There was no letter from Dumbledore, and he wasn't really expecting one. After his discussion with the headmaster they would talk even less than before. Harry took the book and opened it, there were some words written in Sirius handwriting.

_Harry,_

_If Remus gave this to you, it means that I didn't make it, I'm sorry I'm not there for you. This book has information about spells and incantations that you will never find in any other book at the school. Please be careful with it and use it wisely._

_Love,_

_Sirius_

He felt his stomach clench and like he was about to vomit. It just hurt too much to read those words, to know that Sirius was aware that he could die in any minute. Harry closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm down a bit. When he finally opened his eyes, he sighed and turned the page, there was nothing written, it had no title nor it had any index.

_What kind of book doesn't have a title or at least an index!_

He turned another page and there he found the answer, the book had instructions to use empowered spells, locking charms that were impossible to break, silence ones that wouldn't end unless the caster wanted it. He would read as fast as he could, but he stopped when he found why they said this book was so dangerous. It wasn't because the strength of the charms, it was because it had instructions to block the Ministry of knowing you used your wand. So you could do whatever you wanted to and they would never know.

_Of course, trust Sirius to have something like this… _

He sighed and closed the book, placed it on the bed next to him and closed his eyes. He missed his godfather, wished he could have spent more time with him. He had escaped Azkaban just to die three years after that, and it was his own stupidity which had caused that. Tears escaped his closed eyes and he clenched his hands over his arms, he wanted him back.

_But that can't be, he's dead and it's my fault._

When he opened his eyes again he noticed the sun had finally appeared at the horizon, another day started, another day with nothing to do. He put his things back inside his trunk and closed it, the only thing left out was the book. He still had at least another two weeks with the Dursleys and now he at least had something to read. However, the book gave him a solution to escape from the pain that Sirius death had left in him.

He had risked a lot trying that spell, if it had not worked the first time, he would have been tracked and he knew this time he would not get away with it. The spell, however, worked perfectly, he tried some basic spells and he never got a letter from the Ministry. In fact the only letter he had received was from Dumbledore, telling him he would be going to the burrow in the next three days. He prepared his things, which were not that much and waited, in a few minutes someone would come to pick him.

He was shocked when he opened the door and found out who they had sent to take him away. Remus' presence was not the shocking one, but it surprised him. He thought he wouldn't want to see Harry yet. But no, it was Severus Snape's tall form which shocked him. He wanted to protest, to yell at Remus for not thinking straight. To demand him to get the potion's master out of that house, but he couldn't. He was shocked yes, but his desire to get out of that house was stronger.

"I'll go get my things Remus; it'll be just a second"

Remus nodded and let him go upstairs; the werewolf turned to look at Snape and gave him an apologetic smile.

"You don't have to apologise for the brat's actions, Lupin… He's not a child anymore, even when he acts like one most of the time"

Remus shook his head and turned towards the stairs when he heard Harry coming down, with his trunk at tow. Snape reduced it and Harry put it inside his pocket, the only two things he left out were his broom and his invisibility cloak, just in case.

"You won't need that Potter… The floo network has been momentarily connected to this fireplace"

He shrugged and folding his cloak he went to the fireplace, stepped inside and took some of the floo powder Remus gave him.

"The Burrow!"

He hated travelling this way, but it was the safest way and the quickest since he couldn't apparate yet. He appeared at his friend's house and quickly stepped out from the fireplace to let Remus and Snape use it. Harry was about to start dusting off his clothes when he was trapped in a fierce hug.

"Harry! I'm so glad to see you!"

He recognized Molly's voice and scent, and embraced her back closing his eyes and enjoying the only maternal figure he had ever known.

"I'm happy to see you too Mrs. Weasley"

She let go of him just in time to see Remus appear at the fireplace followed shortly by Snape.

"Remus, Severus, thank you for bringing him home"

They both nodded and walked past her towards the kitchen; they still had to wait for Tonks, who would be staying there for protection. They wanted to take him to Grimmauld place, but they all knew that would only cause troubles.

"I'm sure you're hungry Harry, take your things to the twins' old room while I make something to eat… Ron and Ginny should be home soon, they went with Arthur to pick Hermione at the train station. Her parents let her come back earlier from their trip"

Harry nodded and was about to climb the stairs when he remembered. He took his trunk out of his pocket and put it on the floor.

"Mrs. Weasley? Could you end the charm please?"

"Oh! Of course dear, of course!"

She took her wand and pointed it at his trunk turning it back to its original size.

"Thank you"

"It's ok Harry… Now, get your things upstairs and come down when you're finished ok?"

Harry nodded and took his things to the room. Harry smiled; Molly said this was his home he owed so much to them. They had accepted him as one of their family and he would always be grateful for that, but he knew he would never really be a Weasley.

_After all, I'm Harry Potter… Son of James and Lilly Potter, killed by Tom Riddle fifteen years ago… And I'm also the boy-who-lived, who was born ten years later._

He sighed and put his trunk at the end of the bed, his broom stood leaning against the wall near the door and his cloak folded over the bed. He sat down and closed his eyes, now that he was here he would have to stop doing what he had been doing at Privet Drive, it was too risky and the last thing he wanted was to worry them. Besides, he knew they would be disappointed if they knew what he had been doing to himself.

Harry sighed again and stood up, left the room and closed the door behind him. He went down the stairs and entered the kitchen, Remus and Snape had already left and Molly had just finished setting a plate of roasted beef and smashed potatoes over the table.

"Here you go Harry, if you want more just tell me…"

"Thank you"

He smiled at her, but she knew better than believe that smile. Molly knew Harry was still grieving, and no matter how much he tried to hide it she would always notice. But she wouldn't ask him, she wouldn't push him to tell her how he felt. For she knew he would not tell her anything and say he was ok.

_You should talk about it Harry, it is never good to keep things like this inside…_

She put a glass of pumpkin juice in front of his plate and sat next to him drinking a cup of tea. To say the silence was awkward would be an understatement. She was about to ask him how he was doing when they heard the front door open.

"Mom! We're back!"

Molly smiled and sighed in relief. Ron entered the kitchen followed by Ginny and Hermione.

"Harry, mate!"

Ron greeted him with a quick hug and a strong pat on his back, Hermione and Ginny embraced him, telling him they had missed him a lot and were glad to see him again. Harry was glad they never pushed him to talk about Sirius, or anything involving the events in the Department of Mysteries.

_You should talk about it, you know? And stop with that stupidity… Shut up, you fucking shit! It's your fault I'm doing it in the first place!_

Harry was two different beings now, Harry Potter and The-boy-who-lived, and inside his head and when he was completely alone, those two fought each other.

The rest of the summer was peaceful and spent between broom racing and card or chess games. They had got their letters from Hogwarts, and he was shocked to see that he had got O in Potions. The only classes he wouldn't be taking anymore were History of Magic and Divination, but that was to be expected. He could be an Auror and that was what really mattered. Ron passed the same he did, but he had got an E in Potions and that meant he wouldn't be taking it, since Snape wouldn't admit less than O's in his class.

As they all knew, Hermione passed all his OWLs with O's, that night Molly organized a small party to celebrate. Two days later, they left to Diagon Alley to get their books and supplies for their sixth year, and also visit Fred and George at their shop. Harry was really impressed and very happy to see they had done so well, and also found himself with several bags with products the twins gave him.

Soon they would be going back to Hogwarts, and in that last days Harry started to have those weird dreams again. About the place in ruins, the two boys; sometimes he would dream about an ancient place, but not in ruins. It was beautiful and he would always see the blue eyed boy there; he would always be in white robes, but not wizard's robes. He knew he had seen those clothes before, but could never remember where.

Finally the day had come, and they left the burrow towards King's Cross Station. Harry didn't know, but that day, the moment he boarded the train, everything in his life would change.

**TBC**

I hope you all liked this. I know it seems confusing now, but I didn't want to explain everything already. There's people who probably won't understand even after some thing are exposed, but I'll explain when we get there. About the ten years after thing, for him, Harry, The Boy Who Lived was born the day he got his letter.

If you liked this chapter and want to read more, please be patient, I may no be able to update as soon as I would like. Though, I'll try to post at least once or twice a month.


	2. Chapter 02

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. HBP never happens here.

Notes and thanks at the end of the chapter.

**AWAKENINGS**

He was alone in the boot, since Ron and Hermione were busy with prefect duty. Harry sighed, he felt lonely but couldn't blame his friends; they had things to do after all. The problem was that he tended to think about those who had died, those who should be alive and weren't because of him. And with those thoughts came the horrible pain and sorrow, and then he would want to punish him, even though, it meant hurting himself.

_ Again? You should know already that you're just hurting yourself… I'm hurting you, you shit, I'm the real one you're just a tool, some sort of weapon… One that has cost too many lives already…_

Harry stood up and left the boot, wand in hand, towards the bathroom. He entered and closed the door, muttered the spell he had learned and practiced so many times already. Hiding his magic from the Ministry, and letting him use spells and curses that would probably put him in trouble. He locked the door and silenced the small bathroom, using spells from the same book, no one would hear him and no one would open the door.

He sat on the closed lid of the toilet and sighed, pointed his wand towards himself and muttered the curse.

"Crucio"

He closed his eyes, feeling the unbearable pain his body was going through. He held the most he could till his wand fell from his hand. The first time he had tried it he thought it wouldn't work, but then he remembered what Lestrange said to him the day she killed Sirius. The cruciatus curse only worked if you really intended to cause pain, if you could hate enough to make it work. Harry did, he hated The-boy-who-lived, for costing Sirius his life and for letting Cedric die.

He took his wand from the floor and repeated the curse, his scream clear inside the room, but not out. Once again, and again, and he repeated it till his hand couldn't grab the wand still enough to cast it again. Harry cried in silence, because the curse was not enough and he knew it, because what he really wanted was to kill the savior. But he couldn't, because then, those deaths would have been in vain and he couldn't do that.

"But that's ok; it's just a matter of time. I'll kill him and then I'll go with them… I'll finally join those who died because of you, to protect you or because they just knew you"

Outside the bathroom, in front of the door was a male student, his eyes wide open and his face showed an expression of shock and complete horror. What he heard, what he now knew he would tell no one, that would cause desperation among people. They thought of Harry as their only hope, the one who would save them from the terrible future Voldemort represented.

However, the student found himself with a bigger problem. If he stayed silent, Harry would continue doing it. He could tell the headmaster, but somehow he knew that would only make things worse. Harry's friends were out of the question too, they wouldn't understand.

_ Damn! They wouldn't even believe me!_

Who then? Harry's Head of House? That was like telling Dumbledore directly, the other teachers? They also would tell the headmaster. No, he would have to find someone else, someone he could trust enough not to panic, and wise enough to help him solve the problem.

_ There must be someone, and I'll find them._

Inside the bathroom Harry was crying, his head hung and his eyes closed. Hating that part of himself that made him so weak he had to torture himself so he could keep going. Finally he calmed down and sighed deeply; picking his wand from the floor he stood up and faced the mirror.

"I hate you, I hate the fact that you are so weak that after five years you still can't protect those you love from death. I hate you; 'Boy-Who-Lived' and I will destroy you. I'll become just Harry, and go there where my parents and Sirius are…"

He washed his face and fixed his clothes, his eyes were still red, but he didn't mind. His friends would not ask questions, they would think he was just thinking of Sirius. Outside, the boy had his hands clenched tightly, his nails leaving marks on his palms. He didn't know when his eyes had started to shed tears. He heard Harry undoing the silence spell and unlocking the door, and quickly hid.

_ I wonder how come his friends don't see this. I thought they knew each other better than anyone else…_

He saw Harry exit the bathroom and going the other way, back to his boot and to his friends. Somehow, he knew that in a way, he was closer to Harry Potter than anyone else would ever be. That thought bothered him, because everything he thought he knew had been changed in less than an hour, because he was too far away of being close to Harry the way Ron and Hermione were, as friends.

Because, the boy who had heard something no one should have been able to hear, was none other than Draco Malfoy. The boy who was to the Slytherins what Harry Potter was to the Gryffindors. Some could ask why he cared, why he didn't use this information to help the Dark Lord. The answer was simple; Draco was not the same boy who had left Hogwarts the previous year. For once he had been free from his father's point of view, and he had the chance to know his mother's point of view. But what shocked him the most, what finally made him turn his back against Voldemort, was his own experience with him and his Death Eaters.

Voldemort had been angry, Lucius had failed him and his family would pay now that he was in Azkaban and couldn't be punished directly. Draco suffered through the Cruciatus curse and then forced through the Imperius to use the torture curse on his own mother. No, Draco would not follow someone who didn't care a shit for his followers, or those related to them. Narcissa was not a Death Eater, she supported her husband and the cause he fought for, but she had nothing to do with it. Lucius Malfoy had not been a perfect father, but he had cared for his son and it hurt the blonde to know he was imprisoned. The only thought that eased him, was that there were no more Dementors and his father would be alright.

His mother on the other hand, had always been a wonderful woman. She had her prejudices, but she never acted upon them as his father did. Draco had always been treated with love and respect from his mother. She had never done anything wrong to anyone, and she had been tortured horribly, by his own hand. No, there was no way he would ever forgive the Dark Lord for that. He then understood, he would try to protect the Boy-Who-Lived from harm inside the school, the best he could but not letting anyone know. He became another one of those who saw in Harry Potter the hero who would save them all.

Now, after he heard the Gryffindor scream in pain, inflicted by his own hand, Draco knew better. No one inside Hogwarts would be able to hurt Harry Potter, because the boy wouldn't permit it; because he had decided he would do it himself. No, Draco wouldn't have to protect Harry Potter from others; he would have to protect Harry Potter from himself.

_ But how? How can I protect someone who is determined to hurt himself that way? What is more, how can I stop him from doing it when I can't even approach him!_

Harry hated him; they had been enemies since that day in the train five years ago. He knew the moment he tried to talk to him he would be hexed either by him or by his friends. He would have to find a way to know if Harry was thinking of repeating what he just did.

_ Maybe there IS someone I can talk to, someone who won't run and tell Dumbledore everything._

Draco fixed his hair and cleaned his face; he took a deep breath and went back to his boot, where his 'friends' were. He didn't know what they thought about the Dark Lord, if they would follow him or stay away from him and be neutral, or join the side of the light. So for the moment he would keep his act, he would play the role he was given and let them think he was still the boy Lucius Malfoy had raised.

The train had finally arrived at the station in Hogsmade; as usual the first years would go through the lake with Hagrid while the rest of the students used the carriages. Draco still couldn't see the Thestrals, but he saw the way Harry looked at the animals, or the empty space where they should be. He felt sad and angry, because they were another reminder of what Harry had lost and would never come back.

_ And which make him feel he should be punished, or that The-boy-who-lived should be punished… Damn, what a hell of a mess is this._

He shook his head and walked to one of the carriages, with the other Slytherins and started their way to the castle and another year of hard studies and most probably dangers.

All the students where at their respective tables, talking about their holydays and what not, sharing stories of trips to other places or the articles of the Prophet. McGonagall finally entered the hall with a stool and the Sorting Hat, she placed it over the stool and they all waited for this year's song and riddle. But for the first time since they knew, the Sorting Hat stayed silent before talking in verse but without really rhyming.

_ Dear students of Hogwarts,_

_ I've warned you before_

_ But as the founders did,_

_ You also have done_

_ Gryffindor, Slytherin_

_ Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff_

_ They once thought as one,_

_ But they were divided_

_ And since then have you all._

_ Once again I shall part you,_

_ But I plead to you all,_

_ Stay together and fight_

_ Against what is to come._

_ As__ the danger has changed_

_ And will not come from one of us,_

_ Powers stronger than ours will awake_

_ And it__ will depend of unity,_

_ If we shall remain a race._

_ Only one will rule death_

_ Though,__ the same will rule life_

_ But the one with those powers_

_ Needs another to decide,_

_ If death will rule us all_

_ Or if we shall remain alive._

_ Now come here and let me see_

_ Which house you will be in._

_ Though, r__emember to be together,_

_ And set your differences apart_

_ So Hogwarts __survive this danger_

_ And __forever our race will remain._

To say it had been, by far, the strangest song ever would be an understatement. Harry was looking at the hat wide eyed, for he somehow knew this would be the year all ended. And the hat knew it too, and once again was trying to warn the school; telling them to be united because it was the only way to save the school. However, this song had been really specific; if he failed it would be the end, not only of the school but the wizarding world too.

_ Great! As if I needed more stress… Damn hat, cryptic messages that only manage to confuse me even more._

When the shock of the song had passed McGonagall finally started the sorting, one by one each kid was sorted into a house. Each kid would be taught the rules of their houses, and also the flaws of the other three. The new Gryffindors would know that Slytherins were the bad guys, Death Eaters in training. The new Slytherins would be guided to believe that the Gryffindors were the worst kind of the school, that if the wizard or witch was not a pureblood then it was worthless.

The dinner finished, Dumbledore said the usual words of warning and then told the prefects to take the students to their respective houses. Prefects would have a meeting after that with the Head boy and girl, Heads of House and the headmaster. Draco sighed while he went to the meeting in Dumbledore's office with Pansy.

"Draco, are you ok? You have been silent and weird since the train ride. Actually, since you came back from the bathroom… Are you sick?"

Draco stayed silent; he couldn't tell her what he had heard back then.

_ Yeah, because she would take it calmly, Pansy hates Potter maybe as much as Severus._

He just shook his head and muttered a no.

"I'm just tired I guess"

She frowned but wouldn't push him, she knew Draco quite well, no matter what the blonde said. Yes, she knew him well enough to know that Draco had turned his back to the Dark Lord.

_ And frankly I don't blame him, who would if they knew what that madman did to him and his mother?_

Her father had been there, and felt revulsion at what he saw. The Parkinson's would defect Voldemort's side, just not right then. They knew that leaving Voldemort would only cause their deaths. So she would have to pretend too, let others think she also was a future Death Eater.

They reached the entrance and said the password, letting the moving stairs take them to the office. When they knocked and they were told to enter they never expected to find Harry Potter in there, waiting for them to arrive.

_ What the hell is he doing here? Potter is not a prefect or a Head Boy for that matter!_

Pansy frowned while thinking, it was pretty clear the Gryffindor was there under Dumbledore's orders. She knew then, this would not be a normal meeting.

_ This is about war._

She looked at Draco and noticed that even when he looked surprised, he was not upset.

"Well, now that we are all here, shall the meeting start? I know most of you wonder why Mr. Potter is also here… And I think he should be the one to explain his presence"

Draco and Pansy took the only seats remaining, at Snape's left and Harry's right. Harry nodded at Dumbledore and cleared his throat; he had sent Hedwig with a letter to Dumbledore telling him he wanted to talk to him after the feast ended, he had been quite adamant and Dumbledore accepted. Now he had to explain to them what he had told the headmaster, just that he would try to elaborate more this time.

"I won't sugarcoat this, the war is near… Maybe more than I suspected. The fact that there has not been any news about Death Eaters attacks confirms my fears. We all know that he wants me dead; he can't touch me when I'm not in school… Hogwarts is a target now, and I can't leave because that would put in danger the rest of the country… So, from now on we must start making Hogwarts' wards stronger than ever"

He stood up and moved his head from one side of the office to the other, looking at each face seriously. He knew some wouldn't accept him being in charge, specially the Slytherins.

"I'm sure you all know Voldemort respects no one, and cares about himself only. So, don't delude yourselves into thinking you may be spared because of your blood lineage."

He looked directly to Draco and Pansy then, they stayed silent but both raised one eyebrow.

"Last year, most of us had to create a secret class of defense, thanks to the ministry sending a 'teacher' of their own. All that did was to weaken us. However, those who attended those secret meetings had the chance to get better prepared… I want to form that group again, just that this time it won't be secret and most important it will be divided by year…"

Dumbledore passed him the parchment he had given him before the meeting started, and enlarged it so everyone could see it clearly.

"As you can see I have been thinking about this for a long time now. First, second and third years won't attend these meetings, they are too young and no matter how much they train they'll never be able to stand in front of a Death Eater and react in time…"

He looked at his friends and then at Dumbledore, giving them, and obviously the others times to say something. When no one said anything he continued.

"Last year I was in charge of the meetings and what would be done… But that would be impossible for me to do now, so I thought the best course of action would be having two teachers per year, plus one student who attended the meetings last year…"

Finally, Pansy spoke up, she had waited enough already.

"I'm sorry Potter, but I don't see why we, Slytherins, should follow any order you gave to us… Besides, you've always thought we are Death Eaters in the making… Why would you want us involved inside all this?"

Harry glared at her but remained calm.

"Because, like it or not, you are also a part of Hogwarts… I may hate that hat but it is right, we must unite or we'll perish… Even you Parkinson"

She crossed her arms over her chest and snorted with sarcasm.

"Yea right Potter, we are part of Hogwarts… Don't delude yourself thinking that, because the other three houses have never seen us as a part of 'their' school… Slytherins are supposed to be the bad ones, they are always planning something to trick or humiliate them… Sorry Potter, but I don't buy that"

Harry sighed and clenched his fists, he feared this would happen, he actually expected it to happen the moment they saw him.

"And who are, pray telling, the ones to blame for that? You have not been really nice to anyone; you treat the others as inferior creatures who should be serving you… Sorry Parkinson but that's how it is… You talk about the other houses not considering you as part of the school… Well, I'm giving you that chance now. Prove to us that Slytherins are not all Death Eaters in the making"

She was about to answer him, but Snape's hand stopped her, she turned her head and the look in her Head of House's eyes made her to remain quiet. Snape couldn't prevent Draco from talking, though he wouldn't have either, he had his suspicions about the boy's point of view about things, specially about the one standing in front of them.

"I can't deny your words Potter; it is true the Slytherins have done those things… However, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are not saints, you have done your part too, your sins may not be the same, but they are there…"

He looked directly into the green eyes, he had taken a decision already; he also knew who he had to talk with. That person had proven worth of knowing the secret, and only with a gesture, the movement of a hand.

"I agree that we have to be prepared, I also agree with your methods… But if you really want that to work, then there's something that must be done first…"

To say that, except one person, the whole room was surprised was an understatement. Ron looked at Harry, but the boy would not move his gaze from the gray eyes locked with his. He, as Pansy tried before, opened his mouth to defend his house and his friends, as expected it was Hermione who silenced him. Draco stood up and walked towards the Gryffindor, till he was standing just a few steps away from him.

"For peace to be made and remain… All that was done must be forgiven, some of those things will take time to be so… Some may not be forgiven in years and some ever… But there's no other way than starting anew, so…"

He extended his hand towards Harry, he was risking his position inside his house, as Pansy may not see this as what it was.

"I'm asking you to forgive me for everything I did to you and your friends… I'm saying I'm sorry, for real, and that I would like to start again… I can't talk for the rest of my house, they will decide if they'll do what they should and set their prides aside…"

"Draco!"

The blonde wouldn't answer; he also heard the voice of the Gryffindor prefect.

"Harry, don't!"

"Mr. Weasley!"

Ron shut up at the voice of his Head of House, Draco stayed there with his hand extended, Harry was astonished, of all the outcomes he thought of, Draco Malfoy saying sorry and asking for forgiveness was not one.

_ Is he for real?! Does he know what he's __**really**__ risking?_

However there was a more important question in his mind.

_ Can I do it? Can I really forgive and forget everything? Each year he has done something to make me get expelled, or has destroyed something important to me… He has harassed Hermione and Ron since I've known him… Has tried to hurt me as much as he could..._

Draco had not withdrawn his hand, he would wait till Harry accepted, and took his hand in his.

_ But I know this snake… I'm shocked because I know him, because this is so out of character that cannot be faked… I've always trusted my instincts; they have never deceived me… I don't think they'll do it this time… I guess…_

He looked at Dumbledore then at his two friends who were looking at him, one with support in her eyes the other ready to jump if given the chance, his eyes then turned to the man who supported the snake in front of him, and finally his eyes came back to the gray gaze still waiting.

"I accept your apologies… I'll forgive some things now… Other as time goes by. I also apologize for my own misconceptions and ask for you to forgive me too…"

He finally took the hand Draco was offering to him, the Slytherin smiled and shook the hand in his firmly.

"Hi, my name is Draco Malfoy; I'm sixteen years old and am a student at Hogwarts…"

Harry couldn't stop his own lips from forming a matching smile.

"Hi, my name is Harry Potter; I'm sixteen years old and am a student at Hogwarts…"

No one saw it, but the hat was smiling, it would be a new start for the school. Ron felt betrayed, Hermione said nothing, she would deal with him later, and with Harry. The other prefects, Head boy and Girl, their teachers just stayed silent. Snape lifted his hand from Pansy's arm, noticing she had also understood what was going on. Dumbledore never though he would live long enough to see the union of his school.

"…Nice to meet you"

They both said at the same time, and something happened right then, nothing they would be aware of or the rest of the people with them. Something grater than all of them and that would be the thing to put an end to the war, at least the one they were aware of. Both let go their hands, and Draco went back to his seat.

"Harry, please continue with what you were saying…"

Harry nodded, somewhat thankful to Dumbledore for giving him an exit to the awkward silence.

"Yes… Well, as I was saying… Here are the arrangements I decided on…"

He had been blocking the chart with his body, and when he stepped aside all the people in there raised an eyebrow, except the headmaster, whom already knew though he didn't really understand.

"Fourth years will be under Neville Longbottom's training, professors Flitwick and McGonagall will be with him, Fifth years will be under Ernie Macmillan's training, professors Sprout and Hooch will be with them, Seven years will be taken by Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley and professor Lupin will be with them…"

As he said that last part Harry crossed the name Sinistra and added Ron's.

"I'm sorry about this headmaster, but I want to make these changes…"

Dumbledore nodded, still not really understanding Harry's decisions.

"Finally, I'll take Sixth years, with professor Snape… And Draco Malfoy if he doesn't mind taking the place"

"WHAT?! Harry that's insane!"

"Ron! Shut up and pay attention… I don't think he'll do that without a good reason! Wouldn't you Harry?"

Harry looked at Hermione, he felt very lucky for having her as a friend, she always understood.

"No Mione… I wouldn't do this without a good reason… Please Ron, just hear me out and understand, a lot of things have changed already…"

Ron still didn't like it, but would wait for Harry's motives and would try to understand, but when it came to Malfoy, he just couldn't forget so many humiliating moments and hurtful words. Meanwhile, Harry turned his head towards the two sources of his friend's anger, and both snakes looked at him as if he had two other heads.

"Potter, are you sure about this?"

The headmaster nodded at that question and couldn't keep restricting his own.

"I'm really intrigued by this Harry… Leadership never works fine when the people who share it don't get along… And I may be optimistic, but I'm also a very realistic man…"

Harry nodded at the old wizard's words, but his eyes remained with his professor and Draco.

"I have three main reasons why I choose professor Snape to work with… First, because only professor Lupin has the same abilities and knowledge about this matter… I needed the two most capable professors in defense to work with the last two years, but I can't work with professor Lupin…"

He wouldn't explain why, at least not in the personal area, those who needed to know, already knew it.

"Second, I needed a person who wouldn't be affected because of who I am, someone who cared so little that he wouldn't try to protect me from everything and everyone… The only one who has what I needed was you professor… And finally…"

He looked directly to Snape's eyes, with a serious expression and determined face.

"I wanted to prove to you… That I am **not **my father, James Potter was James Potter, and he died fifteen years ago protecting his family… I'm me, **Harry** James Potter, not the golden boy, not the-boy-who-lived, not James Potter's son… So professor, will you give me the chance to do that?"

It was as if the only ones in there were Harry and Snape.

"Will you let me show you who I really am?"

_ Merlin's beard! I can't believe this… Is like if someone was switching him… I didn't know the difference could be so strong and so terrible!_

Draco was looking at Harry mesmerized, at the start of the meeting it was The-boy-who-lived, when they decided to start anew, it was Harry, when he explained the chart behind him, once again was the 'savior of the wizarding world' and now he once again was looking at Harry, and he liked what he saw.

_ I won't let you drown in your own despair… I'll kill the-boy-who-lived and will bring Harry back with me… _

He felt something stir in the pit of his stomach. Snape looked at his student, a boy he thought he knew and who was now, with just a few words, changing all his thoughts.

"I… I don't know Potter… I'm still not sure if this is a good idea, don't delude yourself into thinking that the atmosphere won't be charged with tension, and that is never a good environment to train something as hard a defense…"

He was eluding the answer, because there where just too many people and he would never open himself like that.

"None of the ones I choose knew about it, you all have the option to decline… So, professor, I'm not asking you to answer me right away… Please think about it… You too Malfoy, given the circumstances and what just happened before, I think you would be of great help… I prepared myself for this meeting, and I knew a lot of things would happen in a certain way… I accepted your words and accepted your hand because you did something I never thought could happen… Some things can not be faked, had you been the same person I've known for the last five years, you wouldn't have said that…"

Could someone change so fast in so little time? Yes, specially if that person has gone through so many things as he had, Ron understood now and even though he may never forgive Draco completely, he would stop the fights, if only to give Harry some peace of mind. Draco felt as if the boy in front of them was looking right through him, he said nothing, but nodded at Harry's words as well as Snape, though the snake's prince had already decided.

_ I'll do it; I'll stand there with you… Harry Potter. _

Ron raised his hand, there was something that was bothering him and he didn't know that concern would grant him one of the most important tasks in the whole ordeal.

"Umm… Harry…"

He felt a little intimidated, since all eyes turned to him.

"Look, I know this will sound stupid but… Well, what about Quidditch?"

As he expected the looks of 'are you stupid?' came from most of the people in there, what he didn't expect was to see Hermione, Harry and even Draco looking understanding.

"Please, I'm not saying this because I'm obsessed but because it's the only thing we have to really relax and entertain ourselves out of classes… No matter how much we train, if the students cannot distract and relax enough… Well, they won't be able to really concentrate…"

Harry nodded and smiled, together with Draco, both boys understood him completely. Ron understood about Harry, but that Draco Malfoy supported him was beyond comprehension for him.

"I know Ron… And that's why I want you to take care of the schedules…"

"What?! Why me?!"

_ So little faith you have in yourself Weasel… Even I understand why he did it._

"Ron, you ability in chess is a clear demonstration of your great skill when it comes to organize people… You're by far the best strategist I've ever known, so that's why I'll leave that to you… That mind of yours saved our lives in first year, I know I can put my life in your hands and never regret doing so…"

Ron's face matched his hair, he wasn't used to be at the end of a compliment, he just nodded, accepting Harry's words, he gave his friend a huge smile, feeling amazing for knowing his friend trusted so much in him.

"Well, if there's no other question I guess I should leave… I'm not a prefect and have no right to be at the next meeting…"

Dumbledore put the chart back to its normal size and Harry took it with him. The headmaster didn't stop him, even though it was quite illogical not to let him stay, but it was Harry the one who did not want to stay. Snape stood up and excused himself too.

"Malfoy, Parkinson… I'll wait for you two after the meeting… If you'll excuse me headmaster, I need to go…"

"It is ok Severus, I'll send you a report later… So your students can get some rest…"

"Thank you…"

He bowed and left rapidly after Harry.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 03

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. HBP never happens here.

**Awakenings.**

Chapter 3

_Could it be? Is there a chance for this to work out? Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter, sharing as friends? I don't know… But I accepted his hand… Ah, damn it! I don't get it!_

Harry walked down the stairs, his head a turmoil of different thoughts, trying to place together five years of hatred and less than an hour of pleasant talk and apologies, it was a difficult task to bear. Even when he said it himself, yes he trusted his instincts and thinking about it, the boy wouldn't dare to lie when two really good legeremens where in the same room.

"Mr. Potter…"

Snape's voice startled him and as he turned his head to look behind him he lost his balance and prepared himself to suffer a lot of pain.

_And if there's a god maybe death… _

But neither pain nor death came; Snape had caught him just in time and was still holding him by his waist.

"Are you ok Mr. Potter?"

For a moment, just a matter of seconds, Harry saw something else in those eyes, something he felt he knew. But the voice made him react; making him lost that feeling of recognition.

"Ah... Uh, yes... I'm fine... Thank you professor…"

Snape let go of him and Harry continued walking down the stairs, supporting his weight firmly on the wall; Snape was just behind him silent till they reached the end.

"Mr. Potter… Come with me… Please"

It was obvious what the man wanted to talk about, he really wanted to sleep, but it was better if that problem was just solved right away. He nodded and followed the potions master towards the dungeons and to his office.

_I wonder… What would have happened had I accepted to stay in Slytherin. _

Well, he had wondered that a lot of times already, and had never got an answer. Snape opened the door to his office and let Harry enter; he closed the heavy oak door and sealed it, placing some silence charms too.

"Please take a seat…"

Snape's behavior was actually starting to scare him; he was too used to the sarcastic and hideous professor.

"Mr. Potter… I-"

"Professor…"

Harry interrupted him, he told him to think about it, he knew it was not an easy decision to make.

"Please, hear me first…"

Snape nodded, Harry was grateful that the man had not offered him some tea or something else, that would have been just too much.

"Look... I know that I'm not asking something easy to do. I don't expect you to just forget so many things as if had never happened… That's why I told you to think about it, I won't hold anything against you if you decide not to do it…"

Snape summoned two cups and a pot of tea, and actually felt some pleasure at his student reaction.

"Mr. Potter… I don't need time; I need to talk with you with no witnesses, because this is a subject that concerns no one but us…"

Harry accepted both, the explanation and the cup of tea, tough the last one a bit reluctantly, not because he doubted of the content, but the gesture in itself was just way out of character.

_Go figure… Both snakes doing the same thing… _

"First… I accept to be your supporting teacher, I may bear the Dark Mark, but I don't respect it anymore. Second, I think it is time to talk about what you saw last year… If I'm not wrong that is what triggered you reasons to ask me to take the job, isn't it?"

Harry nodded, now that they were alone he found it hard to keep eye contact with the man.

"In part it is… I do believe firmly in the other two reasons… No matter what we feel for each other, I can't deny your abilities and knowledge… It would be a huge mistake from my part not to ask you"

Snape felt touched, he actually appreciated this comment more than those the students of his own house gave him. When someone who doesn't like you, praises your work and abilities, then it really means you are good.

"I want to hear what you did not say back there… Because you stopped yourself didn't you?"

"Yes I did… I remembered something you said once, and which really bothered me because… And please don't take this as an insult… I thought you were being quite hypocritical…"

Snape sipped a bit of his tea, he would let the boy finish, and then he would answer.

"And what would that be?"

"You told Sirius that he saw James in me, and was trying to bring back his friend through me… Remus was there too and your words hit the both of them really hard… However, I think that, the one who was actually seeing my father in me, was you… You wanted revenge, and I can't blame you for that… You saw James in me, and when you humiliated me you were actually seeing James… Weren't you?"

Harry was talking softly; this was supposed to be a talk between two adults, and after what he had seen and heard, he couldn't see the boy as one anymore, so Severus couldn't take the words as an accusation or as if the boy was playing with him.

"I didn't know what I would have done in your place, I didn't know if I would take revenge on my cousin's children in the future… At least not before I analyzed your reasons, now I know better… My father was a prick, a real jerk, there's no way I can deny that… I can barely understand what my mother saw in him. I can only guess that what I saw was just a very small taste of what you went through back then… But no matter how much my father did to you, it wasn't me; I had not even been conceived… So I refuse to pay for my father's sins…"

Harry had the cup in his hands, he had drank a bit of the hot liquid, but shacking as he was right then it was impossible for him to keep trying.

"Are you scared Potter?"

"No… But I'm nervous, I've been shaken out of my standards, of what I know and have been experiencing through the last five years… And I don't know how to process that yet…"

_If you only knew Potter… _

"There's something else professor… I thought I wouldn't have the opportunity any day soon… But you fixed that…"

He raised his eyes and looked at Snape's black eyes, serious and determined.

"I'm sorry for all those cruel and childish things my father did to you… I can't make him say it, so I'll take that responsibility… Please forgive him and his stupidity, and for Sirius' too…"

Snape let his cup fall heavily on the small plate on the table, this he didn't expect at all, and there Harry thought he was confused.

"You'll never learn to do things slowly and moderately, will you, Mr. Potter?"

Harry looked at him with an expression of worry and confusion. Snape sighed and shook his head.

"I'll accept your apologies by side of your father… But not from Black"

"I see… Well, I'm glad you at least accepted one of them… I also want to apologize for intruding into your memories without permission… Even though it helped me understand a lot of things, I was still out of place…"

"I think I forgave you for that a while ago… Maybe right from the moment you said you were not your father… And I think then, that it is my turn…"

Harry nodded, satisfied that that incident wouldn't be a bother anymore, but prepared to hear Snape deny some of the things he said before.

"I apologize too then… You were right; I did take my revenge on you for your resemblance to your father… I should have not. I accept that I was not thinking clearly… Like it or not, Potter, your resemblance to James Potter is strong, only your eyes are not the same… It was very difficult not to see him through you, you saw him yourself, and I never had the chance to make him taste what it felt to be humiliated the way he did to me…"

He understood, after that sight last year he completely understood the hate the professor felt towards his father and himself.

"However… and please understand that this is not easy for me to say… No matter how much of an insufferable man he was, I can't say he was a bad man, or evil for that matter… I may think ill of him, but I don't want you to do the same, he died protecting you and his wife…"

Harry couldn't held any bad feeling for the man in front of him anymore, for someone who hated is father as much as he did, to say something like that must had taken a lot of effort.

"Thank you… Professor… That means a lot to me…"

They stayed silent for a good while, not really knowing what to say or do; the situation was completely different of that with Draco. And for Snape was even more difficult, because there was something he did not tell Harry, something he had the right to know but wouldn't be told about by anyone, at least not yet.

"Professor… There's something else I would like to ask you…"

Obviously, this has to be something a lot more personal than the practice groups. Harry was nervous and once again was not looking at him in the eyes.

"And what would that be?"

"… I want you to teach me Occlumency, I don't want to go through the same thing twice… I don't want to let him use me again…"

"Are you really sure about that Mr. Potter? Last year was not a nice experience for you…"

"Last year I was blinded by hatred and mistrust, and Sirius paid the price for my idiocy… I won't put any one else in danger… There are things I don't want anyone to know about, though…"

He raised his eyes, seeking the black ones of his potions teacher.

"There's a way… But I would be unable to secure some of my own memories…"

"The pensieve?"

"Yes, the headmaster let me borrow his…"

"Oh…"

If Snape found out about what he was doing they would never let him alone, he would probably be sent to St. Mungo's for psychological treatment or something. He had been trembling and Snape noticed, he took a resolution there then, for Harry to be like that whatever he wanted to keep to himself was quite important and obviously personal.

"I'll ask the headmaster to let you use that one… I'll find some other way to protect my own thoughts… But you must understand something Mr. Potter, I won't be nice, I won't treat you differently and I won't let you escape, if you try I'll tie you down to a chair and chain you if it's necessary… Do you understand?"

Harry looked at him wide eyed, that he didn't expect, and somehow it sounded way too wrong coming from the professor's mouth. He shook his head to clear it and nodded, and felt that this time he would make it.

"You don't?"

"Yes… I do understand, and I will continue no matter what… Thank you again professor…"

It was really late, Harry stood up and bowed his head slightly, physically saying his good byes before doing it vocally.

"It's getting late, I should go back to Gryffindor, or I may encounter Filch and that's definitely not good, besides Ron might send a search party if I'm too late… Thank you again professor and good night"

"If I find even one Gryffindor out of bed doing my rounds later I will take points Potter… I'm still a teacher and more than that… I am a Slytherin, never forget that"

Snape was smiling, really smiling, not that sneer he usually greeted him with or used during classes, so Harry smiled back at him.

"Oh, I won't professor… The sorting hat may have said I would have done well in Slytherin, but I'm still a Gryffindor… I would never give you that pleasure… Once again Good night..."

He left before Snape could say anything else, not noticing the one hiding behind a statue near the door. Snape watched him go and when he saw that the boy was just far enough, turned towards the other side of the door.

"Draco I know you're there… In fact I know you were behind this door since ten minutes ago… You didn't hear anything because I-"

"I heard everything Severus…"

Draco interrupted him, looking extremely intrigued.

"That is not possible… I secured my office…"

"I know, there's no way you would risk someone hearing that talk… But I did… And I think I know why…"

Draco's face told him everything, the boy was not lying and he was very affected by it.

"Come in then…"

Once again Snape secured the door and placed silence charms, stronger than before though. Draco took the seat Harry had just emptied and waited for Snape to serve him some tea as he always did.

"Here... Now tell me how it is that you could undo my charms…"

"That's the thing… I didn't, I heard through them and I think it was because Potter was in here…"

Snape frowned.

"What do you mean, why would his presence affect my magic?"

"I don't know that… Severus… I came because you're the only one I can talk about this with, because someone else wouldn't believe me or would make things worse…"

It wasn't easy to scare Severus Snape, and Draco was doing it quite easily.

"You're scaring me Draco, please explain yourself…"

"I don't know how to say this in a softer way so I'll just say it… Harry Potter tortures himself with the Cruciatus curse… He's two different personas, Harry Potter and the-boy-who-lived… Harry hates the savior, and punishes him with the curse… He changes personalities so easily and rapidly that no one really notices, and he has decided that after the-boy-who-lived has killed you-know-who, he'll kill him too… I think I don't need to tell you what that means Severus"

This time Snape's cup fell to the floor exploding in thousand of tiny little pieces; Draco was shaking and had left his own cup on the plate.

"How… how did you find out?"

"I heard him doing it… That's why I said it was because of him… His screams should have been heard by a lot of other people, he was inside the bathroom stall in the Hogwarts Express… He must have been using really strong silence charms, and there's no way dark magic so strong couldn't be felt by the ministry… So-"

"He also used a shielding charm; those are extremely difficult and taught only to Aurors…"

Snape was shaking, looking at Draco as if he had all the answers; his skin was even paler than usual. He understood then, the memories Harry wanted to protect so fiercely had to be those, Snape would give him the pensieve he didn't want to see that, it was way too much already seeing Voldemort doing it to others.

"If he's using that kind of magic, there's no way I could have been able to hear through the charm… But I did, and I only can guess that maybe it's because I am the only one who can really help… Magic has its way to help the wizard when he can't do it himself…"

Draco raised his eyes to look at his head of house and godfather.

"I want to help him Severus… I've been thinking about this since that very moment, and during the meeting I made my decision… I mean, I could see the change there, when it was Harry and when it was that fucking golden boy… I won't let him kill himself. If I can hear through his charms then I can stop him, but that won't be enough… I have to make him get rid of the savior, there's one thing I'm completely sure about… The one who has to defeat the Dark Lord is Harry James Potter not the-boy-who-lived…"

At the moment Snape didn't mind one bit his student's vocabulary, he would have said a few more rude things even. Something stirred inside, and he too felt the need to protect Harry, it was not as a teacher or because of guilt, it was something stronger that was awakening slowly. The face of his godson was full of one clear feeling, but Snape couldn't believe something like that could start so suddenly, there had to be something else, something bigger than magic and that, he was sure, was linked with what he had not told Harry.

"Draco… Do you like him?"

"Yes"

No doubt or hesitation in his answer.

"Do you care for him?"

"Yes"

Once again, Draco was completely sure of his answer.

"Do you… Love him?"

Now he hesitated, that was just too strong, and he wouldn't take that feeling lightly.

"I don't know… Does it bother you?"

Snape shook his head.

"No… That would be hypocritical of me… I have my own share of secrets Draco, that would be one of them…"

"I see… For fucks sake! Not again!"

Draco stood up like a flash, his face full of worry mixed with anger.

"Is he-"

"Yes! I can hear it! Those screams should be heard in Hogsmade!"

He waited for Snape to unlock the door; the professor did it as fast as he could and very soon opened the door.

"Go quickly, we'll talk tomorrow…"

Draco nodded and left as fast as he could, following the source of the screams. Snape saw him running down the hallway, towards the stairs and from there who knows where to, and he felt the need to go with him, but knew it wouldn't do any good right now. He turned around, closing the door just to almost jump out of his skin at the sight of someone standing right in the middle of his office.

"Fuck… Be more thoughtful will you?"

"I'm sorry… But I couldn't wait any longer… I heard everything though"

The other person fell down, the knees hitting the floor, the face wet with tears that kept falling down, and full of sadness and sorrow.

"This is my entire fault… I should have escaped those hideous nurses and go visit him, or at least send him an owl… I-"

"This is not your fault; this has been growing inside him since a long time ago… Don't blame yourself Black"

Large tears fell from the man eyes, because he knew it was his fault, because he had sent that damned book to him. He hoped Snape would stay silent about that, if Remus discovered it their fight would be horrible, and he hoped Snape never knew about the book, the man would never forgive that, as he had done with other things. A lot of things had happened since that day at the ministry, and during all those months their enmity had almost disappeared, they still fought and used names to call each other, giving Remus headaches more often than not.

&.&.&

Draco ran as fast as he could, he was already in the third floor and was about to start going upstairs to the fourth. Each floor he went, the screams were stronger and clearer. 

_I will stop this once and for all… Even if it means taking your wand away… I won't hear those screams ever again! I had to hear my mother way too many times… Hearing you twice is more than I can take._

He reached the fifth floor, and suddenly fear invaded him, there was a high chance that Harry was in his bedroom, if that was the case he wouldn't be allowed inside, and even if they let him that meant revealing Harry's condition, Draco couldn't do that.

_Whatever… I'll find a way to get in…_

He finally reached the seventh floor, he was about to go towards the paint of the fat lady, but he noticed two things, one, Harry had stopped screaming and two, he remembered what other room was in that same floor. He turned around and went towards the hall where he remembered was the room they found the DA last year, as he suspected the room was there. Draco walked to the door and was about to open it when he heard Harry's voice, again, not the same screams as before, this was scarier, because it was the confrontation of those two.

"I hate you… you've brought me nothing but death and despair…"

"I saved you and your friends… You owe me"

Draco heard the unmistakable noise of glass breaking.

"YOU ARE THE REASON I NEED TO BE PROTECTED! BECAUSE THAT PSYCHO WANTS TO KILL **YOU**!"

"I did nothing to provoke him…"

"My parents died because of you, Sirius and Cedric died because of you! I'll kill you… When the time comes I'll destroy you together with Tom Riddle… For now, I only can torture you…"

_O no, you won't!_

Draco opened the door forcefully, crashing it against the wall, just when Harry was pointing his own wand towards himself.

"STOP IT!"

He withdrew his own wand and pointed at Harry.

"Expelliarmus!"

Harry's wand flied far away from him, not that he could do anything about it though he was just too startled to see Draco there to actually do anything.

"I won't let you do this to yourself anymore Potter… I don't care if I have to chain you down to that chair… But I won't see how you hurt yourself anymore!"

"Mal… Malfoy how did you-"

"How did I know? That's all you mind? For fucks sake Potter, I could hear you down to the dungeons! How I know should be the last of your worries!"

He would save the fact that he was the only one who could hear him, till when Harry had calmed down. And then it happened, suddenly Draco was not in front of Harry; the one standing there was the golden boy.

"Malfoy… Even though I'm thankful you stopped him, this has nothing to do with you…"

"You're not the one I want to talk to… Let Harry come back"

The savior raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"Not only can you recognize us, but you're calling him Harry? What kind of bizarre world is this?"

"Bring him back… I won't talk to you about this…"

The-boy-who-lived shrugged and closed his eyes, when he opened them again he was gone. Harry looked at the blonde almost with hate; he had been interrupted and even ordered to stop.

"This has nothing to do with you Malfoy… This is my own problem…"

"I heard you in the train and now here… I was in the dungeons and I heard you… Even through your very advanced spells, and you know what? **I** am the **only** one who did, now tell me again how this is nothing of my concern?"

Harry was doing a very good imitation of a fish, not really knowing what to say, where to start and how the hell explain the fact that Draco could hear what he wasn't supposed to.

"Malfoy please leave… You don't understand"

"Oh but I do Harry… You see, I've been thinking a lot since the moment I heard you for the first time… I can even recognize when I'm facing the golden boy and when I'm facing Harry… Not even your friends can do that…"

A bed appeared near Harry and he let himself fall on it, he sat at the border, with his hands clasping and hanging between his knees.

"What do you want?"

Draco clenched his hands.

"For someone who just agreed to stop all enmities you're not doing a good job Harry, assuming I want something in exchange of my silence…"

"Bad habits die hard Malfoy… And for the sake of my mental sanity, stop calling me by my first name… It gives me the creeps"

Draco didn't know how did Harry bring the bed, he wanted a seat, but the chair didn't look too comfortable.

_I want something like the armchairs in the Slytherin common room…_

Immediately one of those appeared right next to him.

"Wha… How did this…"

"It's the room Malfoy…"

_Well then, I kind of really like this room…_

He sat down and actually smiled, discovering that the armchair was just the one he liked of his common room.

"About what you said… Your mental sanity is already questionable Harry, so you better get used to it, because I won't stop calling you Harry… I will call the other one Potter though, a way to make a difference between the two without really exposing you…"

"Malfoy…"

Draco was looking at him right in the eyes, and would not avert his sight.

"Draco, if you please… Potter calls me Malfoy, so Harry should call me Draco don't you think?"

"Please leave… I don't want you here, I don't want anyone here… These moments are for me and him alone…"

"Well, too bad because I'm not going anywhere… Accio Harry's wand!"

Harry's wand flew towards the blonde snake; he took it and hid it inside his robes.

"I'm sorry, but I won't let you keep doing this…"

"Look, I won't do anything ok? He'll do his job and free you all from Voldemort; I am conscious of my duty and will fulfill it… I owe it to Sirius, Cedric and my parents… So there's nothing you should worry about, ok?"

Draco gripped his wand tightly; those words only angered him even more. He had his wand still out because Harry was fast and agile, and he wouldn't let him get a chance.

"You think I'm worried for his safety? You think I care about that other side of yours? Harry, I'm worried about **you**, not Potter... I couldn't care less about him"

"You're giving me a head ache… I don't understand you"

Harry let his body fall back, resting on the bed and covering his eyes with an arm.

"Go figure… Most people don't understand **you**… Even you, don't understand yourself, if you did, the golden boy wouldn't exist… Harry, I'll help you with the training, I'll do my best and will see that bastard defeated... But I can't do that next to Potter, I can't stand him and I won't help him…"

Harry rose again and looked directly at Draco, and the snake knew that was not Harry.

"Too bad… Because I'm the one leading that… I said I wouldn't force anyone to do it, so if you don't want to then I'll look for someone else Malfoy"

"Didn't I say to fuck off? Harry is the one who said he wouldn't force anyone… Don't forget your place… I was talking with Harry…"

"Well, too bad… I'm him and he's me…"

"In your dreams Potter… You're just a pathetic representation of his own pain… I'll free him of you…"

Potter actually had the guts to laugh out loud.

"He can't live without me, because I'm the rational part of him… The one who thinks clearly and who will defeat Riddle…"

It was Draco's turn to laugh.

"Don't think so high of yourself… He'll make it, I'll see to that… So please leave and let him come back…"

"As you wish, but don't delude yourself into thinking that he can actually do something by himself..."

Draco could almost feel the change, rather than seeing it.

"Malfoy-"

"I told you already… For you I'm Draco… And I want you to start controlling that annoying side; he makes me want to punch him…"

Harry sighed and once again let himself fall back.

"I can't stop…"

"You can Harry... and you will, even if I have to be by your side 24/7, I won't let you keep that on… Please let me help you, me and Severus-"

Harry sat up rapidly.

"Snape? Did you tell him?!"

Draco was scared, he was facing Harry and this one he didn't really know.

"There's no one else I could talk with… Please don't be mad, he was my only choice!"

"There shouldn't be a choice Malfoy! One thing is you hearing me… Other completely different is discussing my life with someone else! Much less someone you know hates me! I could have trusted you, but you betrayed me even before you gained my trust! How could you?!"

Draco stood up and approached him, of all the outcomes he could have envisioned this was not one and he was sure Harry expected it even less, Draco punched him.

"If you're so wise Harry, then tell me what the hell would have **you** done! Do you even hear yourself when you do that?! The screams scared the shit out of me! I didn't know what to do, your friends wouldn't have believed me and I think telling Dumbledore wouldn't have been the best of my choices! The only one I found who I knew I could trust completely was Severus! So, excuse me for trying to deal with my own desperation!"

Harry couldn't answer to that, Draco was right, no matter that he was the one with the problem, Draco had heard him and created his own kind of worry.

"I'm sorry…"

"You should be… I don't want to hear those screams ever again… First my mother and now you… I have more personal reasons to see you-know-who dead than noble ones… I can do a lot of things, but dealing with these things myself is not one of them… I went to the one I trusted the most and even he had to prove himself before I did that, we actually were talking when I heard you… I beg you to stop Harry"

Of all the things he had heard, the one that chocked him the most was hearing Draco Malfoy beg him, he knew that much about him, he was a very proud guy and would never beg for anything.

"Why so much? Why do you care so much?"

"Just because…"

He wasn't sure himself of his answer, Severus had asked him three questions and he couldn't answer the last one, because he didn't know what he felt.

_But I'm sure I like him and that I really care for him… I want to be his friend, and as sure as I am that my real friends wouldn't let me do that, I won't let a friend suffer alone._

"I can't promise you anything Malfoy… I'm sorry"

The blonde sat on the bed next to Harry, he felt the need to touch him, but he would content himself with just being near him. However, Harry thought otherwise, and he had never been one to think too much about the whys of his needs, he moved his hand and took Draco's in his.

"What are you doing Harry?"

"I don't know… I just… I don't know…"

"Oh…"

Draco didn't move his hand, he did have the need and Harry was fulfilling that need. The Gryffindor was nervous though, he felt the need and acted upon it, but he couldn't tell the snake that.

"Can I ask you something?"

"I guess you can… I don't know if I'll answer…"

Harry nodded understanding.

"You said you heard your mother screaming… Was she... I mean, Riddle punished you both, is she ok?"

"She's alive if that's what you're asking… But I think that's not as good as you think… He cursed me with the cruciatus… But the real punishment was forcing me to torture her, he used the Imperio on me and then made me curse her…"

Draco felt Harry's hand tighten around his, and when he turned his head to look at him he found Harry shedding tears, soaking the bed sheets.

"I'm sorry... God I'm so sorry… You father was caught because-"

"Don't you dare… My father is not a child and knew perfectly well what he was doing… He got caught because he was careless… No matter what I said to you at the end of last year, yes I was angry he is my father and cares about me… But at the end his own choices were the ones that led him to where he is now…"

"But you and your mother suffered the consequences, that I feel guilty for… I can't deny that I felt satisfied to see him going to prison, but I'm not cruel and did not wish for other to pays his debts… That's why I'm sorry for"

"Had you known… Would have you let him go?"

Harry wouldn't, but saying that would imply that he didn't care about what happened to those related to the ones being captured, which was not true.

"Had I known… I would have found a way to protect you… Yes I hated you, and was really affected by Sirius' death… But that's precisely what makes me different from Voldemort and his followers, I care and I'm not some cruel bastard that would send someone to be tortured…"

"Thank you, for thinking that way and for not doing it actually… You-know-who is someone who knows not the meaning of the word patience… He would have killed my father, and if the price to save his life is bearing the curse, then so be it… Without Dementors Azkaban is a safe place for him…"

Harry sighed; it was like talking about two different men.

"The man I've met and the man you describe are quite different… I saw him in that graveyard, there was pure hate in his eyes, and I felt that he had never really known something good… But you talk about a good father and husband… I don't get it…"

"My father, as well as my mother and myself were raised that way Harry… To think that only purebloods should be allowed to learn the use of magic, and only we should rule over the wizarding world… Centuries of teaching are quite difficult to change, my father was taught that way, and I did too… I want to make amends, but after so many years, there's a very high chance of me calling Granger 'mudblood' or Weasley Weasel, even you… I may call you 'pothead' or so…"

Even after that Harry did not release Draco's hand, the contact eased him, it felt familiar but not completely, as if the one touching him had been very close to him but also had been away for too long.

"Then don't get mad when they answer with their own repertoire, ferret was a favorite, and Ron like's to add 'the amazing bouncing', I don't want stupid fights, so you better find some kind of agreement… I have enough fights to worry about already…"

"As I said before… Bad habits die hard… Anyway, I was talking about my father, Lucius committed crimes, unforgivable ones, but he was always nice to me and my mother, he really loves us…"

Harry turned to look at him, his eyes a bit red and a tired expression on his face.

"I don't know what will happen… There are rumors that Voldemort will free those who are in prison, he does need followers… If he doesn't kill your father, he may die by the hands of those fighting Riddle… Draco, are you conscious that you may have to fight him?"

Draco fought the smile that wanted to appear at the mention of his name, he was sure Harry didn't even notice he had called him that.

"I am, but I'll think about it then, not before… Right now what it matters to me is my mothers safety and… Well, you know"

"Yeah… I know…"

Sleep was slowly crawling inside of him, but he didn't want Draco to go. He inhaled deeply and suddenly felt what he though must be Draco's scent, it made him think of the sea, though he had never been to the coast.

_I like it… It's calming…_

He wanted Draco to stay, but didn't know how to ask him, it would feel just too awkward and could be wrongly interpreted.

"It's quite late… Shouldn't you go to your house?"

"Actually I thought of staying here tonight, Hermione understand me more than anyone else, if I'm not back by one in the morning then she knows I won't be coming back… She'll take care of Ron…"

_He wants to go back to the dungeons; maybe I should go back to the tower…_

After Harry willingly took his hand, Draco felt he could be bold enough to ask, and so he did, after all the worst that could happen was for Harry to say no. Though, in that case there would be a problem, if Draco left, he would not give Harry his wand back, but if he stayed there wouldn't be a problem.

"Harry would you mind… Umm… Do you mind if I stay here? I really don't want to go all the way back to the dungeons, besides it is late and if I get caught by Filch I'll lose points even before earning them…"

_So yes, that's a little white lie… Severus would never take points away from me, but you don't need to know that…_

A small smile formed in Harry's lips.

_As if Snape would take points from Slytherin… Though, I understand not wanting to go down all those stairs, and even if Snape saves his ass, Filch is still unpleasant to encounter with. And someone please tell me why I'm looking for buts…_

_I could…_

_Go fuck yourself…_

Harry nodded just when a wide yawn attacked him.

"Sorry, but I'm really tired… You can stay if you want… This room is not mine, if you need something you ask clearly and be specific…"

As he said that another door appeared and a set of green pajamas was suddenly over the bed. Harry took them and left to the new door which actually was the bathroom. Leaving Draco alone to change and ask for another bed. When he came back, Draco had changed into a pair of silver silk pajamas and had a tooth brush and tooth paste in his hands, there was no second bed.

_Should have known the pajamas would be silk… Or satin at the very least…_

He hid his smirk and pointed to the door.

"Bathroom's all yours…"

Draco nodded and went into the bathroom, Harry frowned, he was sure Draco would ask for another bed.

"I want another bed…"

Nothing happened, he tried again but the result was the same.

"Now this is weird… Have you finally rusted after so many years?"

A fluffy pillow hit him on the head.

"Wow… A room with temper, I've seen a lot of weird things, but this is a first Harry…"

He turned around with the pillow in his arms to look at the other boy.

"I asked it for another bed, but nothing happened…"

"So it's not me alone… I asked it three times but nothing happened…"

Harry frowned and looked around, as if deciding where to direct his voice.

"I need another bed!"

The room threw him another pillow and enlarged the bed already there.

"It no only has temper it also has sense of humor! I hope you don't mind if I start coming here often…"

"I don't mind at all… I told you this room was not mine; it belongs to the whole school… Though it can become private if you ask it for it…"

Draco looked around and decided to test the room again.

"You said you had to be specific…"

"Needing another bed is quite specific…"

Draco motioned with his hand, giving no importance to Harry's words.

"Let's see… I want a comfortable bed, with soft green sheets and made of oak, with bed curtains and goose feathers filled pillows…"

He turned to Harry.

"That's being specific Harry… And this room does has a sense of humor, quite weird"

The bed already there changed to fit Draco's request.

"Hope you don't mind sharing the bed…"

"I've stayed at Ron's house, when it has been full of people, including Hermione… Believe me, I don't mind at all… Besides I'm used to sleep in a really small bed so, even sharing it, this will be a lot larger…"

Harry got into the bed and was fascinated.

"The room gave you silk, this must have been designed by Slytherin, though it does have a strong touch of Gryffindor, the thought in itself is scaring though… Wow, I've never slept in silk sheets before, this feels so great!"

Draco stood there, mesmerized it seemed that it was the first time he had seen a true smile from Harry, those he only gave his two friends and probably his relatives, he didn't know a thing about Harry's family.

"Will you get in or not? If you're not I'll take the middle…"

Draco cleared his head and threw a pillow to the lion.

"Move pothead… I will not sleep on the floor, besides I'm the one who asked for these sheets and this bed"

Harry smiled, hearing Draco talk more like himself was a huge relief, this was the Draco he was used to and even if they had left the ill sentiments behind, it was their personalities what made them, be them.

"As you wish, oh prince of ferrets… Just don't fill the sheets with fur…"

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"How long have you wanted to say something like that?"

Harry shrugged, he had thought about it, sometime during fourth year, when he saw him seating with his friends on the Slytherin table.

"Long enough, though, for it to happen we had to share a seat and that was quite difficult to happen… Anyway, if your furry highness doesn't mind, I would actually try to sleep a bit…"

Draco stuck his tongue out.

"Oh, very mature of you…"

Draco asked for the lights to go out and soon the room was in dark, suddenly a window appeared at one side of the bed, that had been Harry. The snake rested his head on the pillow, looking at the side where Harry was resting.

"Good night Draco…"

His smile was quite big, this time he knew Harry had been completely aware of it.

"Good night Harry…"

They both closed his eyes and fell asleep soon enough, filling the room with soft snoring.

**TBC**

Hope you liked this one too, please use the little button right down... Me wants reviews!


	4. Chapter 04

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. HBP never happens here.

**Awakenings.**

Chapter 04

As Harry had told Draco and Snape, Ron had to be restrained with the help of dorm mates. Hermione somehow knew Harry wouldn't go back to the dorms, staying most probably in the room of requirements.

"I'll kick him for doing this Mione, he could at least have told me he wouldn't be coming… I was worried!"

"And I told you, several times, he wouldn't come back… Ron, Harry's not a child he knows what he's doing…"

Ron huffed still angry, he was sure his best friend had been caught by Snape. The way the man left was way too obvious, though, he wasn't trying to conceal it anyway. At the end Hermione convinced him to go to sleep, that they would talk to Harry in the morning at breakfast.

"Mione he shouldn't be alone, he's grieving and the best for him is having someone to talk to…"

"You know him Ron, he's not the kind who likes to talk about these kind of things…"

The red-haired huffed again, looking at the doors of the Great Hall, waiting for the minute Harry came through them.

Draco woke up early, it has been the best night he had since his father had been arrested. He turned his head to look at the boy next to him, and amazed him that it was because of him that he had slept so well.

_Maybe that's why the room wouldn't give us another bed… If this place fulfils the needs one has, then it must have sensed that I needed a good night of sleep… Who knew that the thing I needed was the same thing that caused the problem…_

He took his watch, they still have time to take a shower, get dressed and go to the Great Hall. The question was if they should go together or not. He still didn't know what the others thought about making a truce and opposing Voldemort, specially that one.

_Better we go by separated ways… _

He felt Harry's body stirring and focused on him again.

"Mornin' Harry…"

Obviously Harry didn't expect him to be there.

"Ah! Malfoy?!"

He was about to look for his wand, but when he noticed his surroundings and remembered he stopped.

"Ummm… Sorry… I just.."

Draco just smiled and shook his head.

"Nah… It's ok I know my morning beauty is shocking to you…"

Harry frowned, then smiled and threw a pillow towards the blonde.

"There was this man called Narcissus… He didn't have a happy end did you know?"

Draco started laughing loudly, he liked this fun clever Harry.

"That's because he was just beauty… I'm not only gorgeous I'm also amazingly intelligent…"

"And you also have an amazingly inflated ego… I know I had a needle somewhere, you need it urgently…"

Draco made a face of dismay, placing his hand over his chest.

"I've never been insulted this way before…"

Harry just laughed.

"Aw come on… I'm sure I told you things even worst…"

Draco stayed silent, as if pondering about that, at the end he just nodded and agreed with Harry.

"Yeah, you've told me worst… I hope that'll stop now…"

Harry looked seriously at him and nodded.

"Yes… That'll stop, but you know it has to be mutual… I know it'll be hard for some, but it must be done…"

They had been changing and getting ready while talking, and were now ready to go. Harry went to the door and opened it, waiting for Draco to exit the room and start walking.

"Once Ron finish with the schedules I'll give them to you…"

He didn't want to really say bye, if it weren't because of their houses' beliefs they would go to the great hall together, like friends. But they still had a lot of work to do with their respective houses and friends, they had to test the waters and know who could be trusted and who couldn't.

"Well, then… I'll see you later…"

Draco looked at him, understanding his words, though not liking them.

"Yeah… I'll see you too…"

Harry saw the blonde leave, arranging his hair once more and then stuffing his hands in his robe's pockets. He sighed and followed the snake's steps, with a difference of fifteen minutes more or less; they still had a lot of things to work on.

"Where the hell were you last night?!"

Harry sighed, knowing this would happen.

"I wanted to be alone Ron… I needed to be alone; I had a lot of things to think about… I'm sorry for worrying you and the others, it wasn't my intention"

Ron buffed but accepted the apology; breakfast was normal after that, no more questions and other things. It was Sunday, it was nice to start school without classes, no matter how ironic that sounded. Thankfully that gave him and Draco the chance to talk to their houses, and prepare schedules and some other things.

"I would like to talk to you and the rest today, we don't really have that much time and the sooner this gets settled the better… Ron, please start with the charts, I really need that done as soon as possible, that way we'll start the trainings sooner…"

"That won't be easy pal… You know how captains are, you're one of them-"

"And that's just the reason I know you'll do it… I don't care which day we practice, as far as we can practice, if someone argues tell them that same thing…"

Ron shrugged and continued with his breakfast, Harry started his own breakfast and Hermione stayed silent, feeling something was amiss and right at the same time.

Draco had arrived at the hall first and before he had even started filling his plate he had already given orders, they would all be staying in the common rooms of Slytherin, where he would explain some things and ask some others. Later he would send an owl to Severus and Harry, telling what had happened and what he thought could be done about it.

**Slytherin common rooms, half past eleven.**

"I asked you people to come because something has come to my ears. The war is near and we can't just step aside, we will choose a side. I know what **I** will do, now I ask you to decide… If you'll follow the Dark Lord or if you'll support Potter"

A fourth year girl raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"What if some of us want to actually step aside? I'm sorry Malfoy but I don't want to die, and I will no matter which side I pick"

Draco looked at her not angry, but very serious.

"Step aside if you want, but you can also die in there, if you're so sure you will die at least do it for something you believe in"

This time it was a boy.

"Look, I know what you mean, but they are very young you can't ask them to fight for something they barely understand themselves…"

Pansy answered this time.

"We know that, that's why students from first to third year won't be allowed to fight, no matter which side they pick… Fourth years will be allowed, but they can also stay and protect the youngest, there's not only one way to fight a war Kensington"

Draco nodded, he was glad she decided to be in his side, Pansy was intelligent and quite dangerous when she was against you, or mad at you.

"Pick your side and send me or Pansy and owl with your decision, no matter which side you choose I won't take actions… I give you my word as a Slytherin, a Malfoy, a wizard and a man… You all know what those means"

The snakes nodded, they knew the value of the word when it was supported by all those things. Draco could be mean, and sometimes cruel, but he was not an honourless man.

"You can go, but please send me your answers before the day ends…"

They all nodded and left, even seventh years obeyed him, it was amazing what a surname could for you. Draco went to his room, followed by Pansy, and let his body fall over his bed.

"Hey Pans… Do you think they will be with us or against us?"

She sat the end of the bed, placing a hand over Draco's soft hair.

"For their well being, I hope they are with us… Tell me Drake, where were you last night?"

Draco sighed knowing there was no sense in telling a lie, she would know.

"I was with Potter; we found that we had a lot to talk about… And to learn about each other… Though, please don't ask me about that, I don't want to lie to you and I can't tell you either…"

"I see… Then I won't ask, but I hope one day you'll tell me on your own…"

Draco turned his face towards her and smiled.

"I will… when I feel I'm ready…"

She messed his hair and kissed his forehead, just before taking a pillow and attacking his defenceless friend.

**Gryffindor common room**,** more or less same hour.**

"Calm down please! I know this sounds illogical, but it is not! We don't have time, and frankly I prefer having them as allies rather than enemies… And I'm sure a lot of them would gladly help us, Voldemort's been acting quite reckless and a lot of his followers feel they're not as safe as they thought."

Harry didn't even acknowledge the flinches and tremors of those who were still afraid of the name, he wanted to end this as soon as possible.

"Look, this is not the time to be scared of a name, we must start training… Or we surely will die"

"But they have always stated their superiority because of their 'pure blood' they won't be very helpful… There will be fights… And who knows what else…"

Dean nodded at Seamus' words, as well as many other in the common room.

"Look, I'm not happy about this either... You all know how I feel about the Slytherins, but strategically speaking is the best course of action"

The whole room looked at Ron with wide eyes, for Ron to say that it had to be very important, and it was more moving than anything Harry could say.

"Then I'm in… I don't like it, but I trust Ron's strategies… So I'll support this idea"

Neville said from his place next to the fireplace, he had decided that no matter what he would do whatever he could to help in the war, and if he was lucky he would avenge his parents fighting and hopefully killing Bellatrix.

"I agree too… I thrust my brother and I'll do as he says, and come on people… Harry himself asked Ron to be in charge… That's all I need to know"

Hermione was impressed, she though most of the Gryffindors doubted Ron's abilities, it seemed that it was her whom did not trust her housemates intelligence. Now that the whole house had approved of their plans they had only one thing to do, wait.

"You are all free to go now, but please do not confront the Slytherins, I'm sure Malfoy has already talked to them and they need to decide on their own… I want them with us not force them to be against us…"

They all nodded at Harry's words, most of them left the common room, some to rest out in the gardens, others to rest in their rooms and most probably think about what was to come and others to roam around the school, but Harry stayed in the common room, the fireplace lit, since the insides of the castle were usually cold. With him, there was someone else, a boy who had to become a man too, because of the same beast.

"Harry…"

The boy turned to look at his friend, he usually stayed with Hermione and Ron, but they wanted to walk outside with the others, and this was a very good time to know the one who could have taken his place if things had been different.

"Is something bothering you Neville?"

The boy nodded and took seat next to his year mate.

"I'll fight, there's no way I'll stay behind… I owe that to my parents, but…"

Harry smiled saddened.

"But you're scared…"

"Well, that too… But I won't let my fears stop me, what bothers me is killing… I'm not a bad person, I would never hurt anyone if I can stop it, and I usually let others take advantage of me… But I want, I feel…"

Harry took his friend's hand in his and gave him a look of complete understanding; this was Harry, not the legend.

"That you want to see her dead… I don't blame you, more than that I can't judge you for that… Neville, I will kill for sure, that's the only way I have, but I won't kill him because I have to… I'll kill him because I **want to**, this monster killed my parents, caused Sirius' death and killed Cedric, an innocent… He destroyed the life of friends and loved ones, and because of him Lestrange tortured your parents till they couldn't stand it. You want to kill her and avenge what was done to your parents, your grandmother and yourself… Do what you need to do, and don't think of her as a human, not even an animal… Think of her as the monster she is"

Neville looked at him wide eyed, he didn't really know what to say, but he let his mind express his heart's emotions.

"I don't want to become a murderer like him… But I want revenge, I want her dead, but I don't want her blood I my hands…"

Harry sighed and stroked his friend's hair.

"Then fight her, defeat her and be there when they sentence her… Even more, be a witness, I'll make sure she has a fair trial, there's no way she'll be free, she will harvest what she has sowed Neville"

The boy smiled and nodded.

"Thank you Harry, I understand what you have to do… And I don't judge you for that either, but I have the choice and I don't really want to…"

Harry let go of his hand and let himself fall on the couch in a more relaxed position.

"I know… You're good man Nev, never stop being that way…"

He smiled at his friend, yes friend because they had been through a lot together, just too much not to consider him that. Neville smiled back and stood up, he took Trevor securely in his hands and turned again to see his friend.

"I'm going out, you should do the same Harry… The sun is god for the body…"

"Maybe later Nev… Be careful Trevor doesn't escape again, I have this feeling he does it on purpose some times…"

"I will… see you later Harry"

Neville was smiling again and Harry felt happy, because that boy may be the purest soul he had ever known. Harry didn't know how wrong he was, for the purest soul in the world had a very difficult future ahead.

- - -

It had been a very nice day, most of the students were still outside and enjoying the last rays the sun had for them. It was there where Blaise found Draco and Pansy, he had decided.

"Draco, Pansy… Can I sit with you?"

They both nodded, knowing why their house mate was being so polite. Blaise took seat and sighed, he took a piece o parchment out of his pocket and gave it to the blonde. Draco took it and opened it, his eyes went wide and looked at the boy with a questioning expression.

"I want it to be formal… I sign in blood my support to Potter's side, and before you ask it, is it because there's someone I want to protect… Someone I care for and who is with the light"

Pansy smiled and shook her head.

"Logbottom maybe? And don't look at me with those eyes… Sorry but those who really know you have known for a long time already… We just don't know why you haven't done anything about it yet"

Blaise turned a bright shade of red and lowered his head.

"It's not that easy Pans-"

"Actually is easier than you think Blaise… You go to him, give him something nice and start conversation"

Blaise looked at Draco as if he were a two headed owl or something.

"Yeah right… As I see it, the moment I start approaching him he'll flee or his friends will come in his rescue…"

Draco was about to answer when they heard a loud yell coming from the front gates, there was the boy in question desperately running after a green something jumping very fast away from him.

"Trevor! Come on, stop it!"

Draco turned to Blaise smiling arrogantly.

"Merlin's by your side my friend… And if you don't use this chance well, I'll hex your arse to next month"

"Then I'll hex it to next year… comprende?"

Pansy smiled sweetly, not that Blaise believed that smile one bit he just nodded and stop up quickly. Neville was running at fast as he could but had no chance, but no one noticed, except for maybe Draco, that the 'evil toad of doom' was actually jumping right towards the place Blaise was running to.

"That toad must be Slytherin, there's no way a Gryffindor toad could be that scheming"

Draco nodded at Pansy's words.

"Longbottom didn't know what he got when he got that pet…"

They laughed while looking the scene; Blaise got in front of the toad and caught it in the air, Neville stopped right away and took his wand out.

"Let him go!"

He was trembling but Trevor was his beloved pet and a good friend, even though he often escaped just to annoy him.

"Lower your wand… I'm not going to hurt him"

Neville didn't lower his wand, but started walking towards the Slytherin boy.

"Give him back then!"

Blaise didn't want to let this opportunity go, but he knew that Neville would not trust him that easily.

"I swear I won't hurt him Longbottom… Actually I like him it's a very nice specimen…"

He smiled and caressed Trevor's head carefully; the animal didn't seem in the least bothered or scared. That gave Neville more confidence in the other boy's words he lowered the wand, but did not put it away.

"You… you like toads?"

Blaise smiled lightly and nodded.

"Yeah… Reptiles and amphibians in general…"

Neville looked at him not knowing what to do really, in one hand that was one of those Slytherins that had caused many troubles for them, on the other the guy was being nice and seemed to have something in common with him.

_Talking about getting along… As long as he doesn't hurt me or Trevor… Why not?_

"Oh, sorry… here you are"

Blaise took Neville's silence for mistrust, which it was in part, but the other part was not.

"Oh.. Erm… thank you"

He took his beloved pet and smiled, Trevor didn't try to escape again, which was quite curious. He didn't know what to say, it was what he heard Hermione once call an 'awkward silence' sadly he couldn't remember if she said something about how to break it.

_This is stupid… He's being nice and he actually caught Trevor for me…_

"Uh… I…"

"Blaise Zabini…"

Neville turned a very deep shade of red, and lowered his face.

"Sorry…"

"What for? It is not a bad thing not to know the name of someone you hardly know as your enemy…"

"Not an enemy… but dangerous nonetheless"

Blaise let a short laugh escape his lips.

"You're thinking about Draco not me… He's dangerous, I'm devilish…"

"And he's right behind you…"

Neville had his faced lowered, giving the impression of being scared, but he actually was hiding his laugh. Blaise paled and turned ready to ask for forgiveness, just to see his friends just where he had left them.

"That's mean…"

"I have good masters…"

"The gold… Sorry, Potter and company?"

"Even better… Weasley twins…"

Once again Blaise paled, that was really scaring in itself, those two had built fame so grand that even Slytherins admired them, though, they never voiced it obviously.

"You scare me…"

"Then they taught me well"

He smiled looking completely innocent, but for some reason that didn't make Blaise feel safe at all.

"I have to go but… Well, I..."

"Me too… I mean, I would like to talk with you again"

Neville smiled still blushing and nodded, he was nervous and wanted to think about what had just happened. A Slytherin had been nice to him and even wanted to meet him again, yes it could be dangerous, but for some reason he wasn't really scared.

"Then see you again… Ah… I, well… Bye!"

His smile was bigger securing Trevor in his hands he turned around and left quickly. Blaise smiled and sighed happily, he too turned around and went back to his two friends.

"So?"

"I should have done that earlier…"

He sat down and let the sun wash his face.

"Slytherin brains, Hufflepuff heart…"

"And a Gryffindor friend who was taught by the Weasley twins…"

Draco and Pansy paled, they'd better be nice to the boy or they may be in deep shit soon. They knew something about innocent looking guys, those usually where the most dangerous, and if they had been taught by Fred and George, they could embarrass you for the rest of your lives.

"Good luck Blaise, you'll need it"

"Indeed, do you know where can I find some good quality good luck amulets?"

The other two laughed hard, and Blaise joined soon. When you knew everything could get ugly soon, you appreciated those times of happiness even more.

**TBC**

Ok, another chapter, please let me know what do you think of it using that nice little button right down. Reviews are nice you know? They make muses work faster :p


	5. Chapter 05

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. HBP never happens here.

**Awakenings.**

Chapter 5

Classes had started, most of the Slytherins had sent their answers about their positions in the coming war. Draco was impressed but not surprised of the results, more than eighty per cent of the house would fight against Voldemort, the rest was divided between staying at the sides and following the dark lord. Those had been obliviated with the permission of Snape and Dumbledore.

"That was the easy part Draco, the difficult one will be making them work together… With no fights or the likes…"

"I know Pans, but they will have to learn to do that… Or they'll perish"

Even Harry had discussed it with him, how to make the students trust each other and practice without hurting their companions.

"Malfoy… Can I have a word with you?"

Harry was with Ron, Hermione was taking a different class and had to leave quickly.

"Yes... what bout?"

Ron took out a lot of parchments from his bag and gave them to him.

"Your copies of the schedule… This is just a draft, I want to know others houses opinions on it… Don't really want to impose"

Draco looked at Ron for a moment, with a light hint of impression in his face. He thought the redhead would make the schedules and that would be it, if they liked it good, if they didn't, then too bad.

"I'll study it with the others… thank you"

"It's ok, just send them back by owl when you're finished… I've got to go now…"

Ron turned and left as fast as he could, it had taken a lot of effort to be that civilized with Draco and he did not want to tempt his luck.

"Wow…"

Harry laughed at Pansy's expression.

"I think it is a huge advance for him… I know how hard that must had been"

Draco nodded, somehow it was easier for him to talk to Ron that for Ron to talk to him.

"Umm… Malfoy… I have a free period now, are you busy? I need to discuss some things with you…"

He actually just wanted to talk with him, get to know him better, but with Pansy there he preferred to be cautious.

"Pansy, you go ahead and study these, don't show it to the others yet though…"

"Okay… See you at lunch then… Bye Potter"

"Bye Parkinson…"

They waited till Pansy was gone, then Draco turned to him.

"Room of Requirement?"

"Yeah… It is safer and we won't be bothered"

Draco understood Harry's apprehensions, they still had to prepare the others before they could be seen talking like good friends. Both of them had the same line of thinking, 'what if'. What if one had not been a hateful prick, what if the other had given said prick a second chance, but What if's never solved anything. They walked in silence, feeling grateful that there was no one in the halls, it was stressful but it was worth it, if everything went well, then they would be announcing their friendship soon.

_Friendship… had someone told me I would be trying to be friends with Draco I would have hexed them to next decade…_

Harry let a small smile grace his face, he was himself and that was one of the strongest reasons he wanted to be friends with the Slytherin. They finally made it to the room, Draco paced three times in front of the wall and soon the door appeared, when they entered Harry was glad he let the snake decide what the room would look like. The room was clearly Slytherin but he didn't mind, for he had a Slytherin side himself, there was a nice fireplace and two comfortable looking armchairs in front of it, between the two there was a table with hot tea and some pastries.

"You're very thoughtful… I'm hungry…"

"Good to know…"

Even when they were trying hard, it still was awkward they just weren't used to this new events and new partnership. However, none of them could deny the right feeling that came when they were together.

"Harry…"

The Gryffindor looked up, holding a cookie in one hand, and got lost into the grey eyes looking at him, they were gray yes, but they reminded him so much of those he had seen in his dreams, those blue ones, when Draco turned to look at the fire he came back to reality and to the blonde's words.

"… more about you…"

He blinked a few times before asking, hoping Draco wouldn't notice or get angry.

"What? I'm sorry I… Umm, got a bit distracted…"

Draco raised an eyebrow but said nothing, just repeated his former question.

"I said… That I would like to know more about you, I mean, till now I only knew just what I saw and frankly I never saw that much… So I wanted to know about the things I never saw"

Harry closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of his seat.

"There's not much to tell really… Till my eleventh birthday I lived with my mother's sister, then I came to Hogwarts and only went there during summers… I've fought Voldemort five times already and am getting ready to fight a sixth and last time… Sometimes I go to Ron's house during the last part of summer…"

Draco nodded to all that, but it wasn't what he really wanted to know, he could figure that out easily.

"That's ok… But, well I would like to know more about your childhood… If you don't mind"

Harry frowned, his childhood was not the most interesting and he was sure Draco, being who he was, wouldn't like what he would hear.

"I don't think you really want to know... I mean, it's not that interesting"

Draco shook his head in denial.

"I don't care if it's not… I just want to know more about you, the you, Weasley and Granger know"

_Well… If we're going to be friends I guess it's only fair…_

He sighed and gave in.

"Magic… Is a forbidden word in my relatives' house, I didn't know I was a wizard till the day Hagrid came to deliver my letter himself… He had to do that because my uncle wouldn't let me open the first one, and the second, and the third… And all the ones that came afterwards. He even took us to a secluded place, a lighthouse hidden god's know where. Hagrid found me there, and gave my cousin a pig tail..."

He laughed at the memory, that had been funny.

"My relatives were so scared that they couldn't do anything to stop him, and they tried… He gave me my first gift, Hedwig; he took me to Diagon Alley, where, by the way, I met you the first time…"

Draco nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, I remember that… I didn't give a very good impression there I think…"

"No, you didn't, insulting the first person who had been nice to me was not a good idea… Anyway, the day came and I got to the train station, I met Ron and his family there, I was looking for platform 9 ¾ but couldn't find it; Mrs. Weasley was the one who helped me and showed me where it was. Ron was the first friend I made, from there, you know the story…"

Draco nodded, but he wasn't satisfied.

"I know… More or less, I only know I pissed you and Weasley off..."

"Yeah, you did that… Did you know I could have been a Slytherin? The hat told me I would have done well in that house, but you were there and I didn't like you… So I asked it to put me somewhere else, and it choose Gryffindor"

Draco looked at him with very wide eyes, he couldn't even start to imagine what could have been if he had accepted to stay with the snakes.

"I know what you're thinking, I've asked myself that a lot of times… What could have been, but it did not happen, so it doesn't matter anymore… I prefer to think that my choice was the best… Well, from there on I started to learn about a world I couldn't even believe in, something that was supposed to be a taboo… I must say that I'm quite happy I found it…"

Draco nodded, he understood why.

"That's because you are where you belong…"

"I guess… To make short a very long tale… First year I had to confront Voldemort while he lived in the back of professor's Quirrell's head, quite disgusting if you ask me… He wanted the Philosopher's stone, Hermione and Ron helped me with that one… Second year the chamber was opened and I fought a Basilisk, and won, not before meeting old Voldie's young persona, he almost killed Ginny back then… Third year…"

That one was difficult to remember, Sirius' memory was still fresh, but he thought that he better got it out and the continued. Draco was silent and knew something wasn't at all right, Harry's eyes were a huge give away of his feelings.

"Third year, there was that supposed murderer thing… Sirius was innocent and wanted revenge, I don't blame him… That year was when I knew the most about my parents… Or at least the good part"

He smiled sadly, he wanted to hear those stories again.

"Harry… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have forced you…"

"No… It's ok, I… Well, I actually want to tell you…"

And it was the truth, he wanted Draco to know, and he wanted to know about Draco.

"Just do the same when I ask…"

Draco nodded, it was only fair.

"Anyway, then came fourth year, you obviously know all about that… You were a very active participant back then… The only thing you did not see, and I'm very glad you didn't, was the confrontation with Tom in that graveyard… It was when he killed Cedric, it was the reason I could see Thestrals, I couldn't help him I couldn't do anything, just take his body and bring it back to his family…"

By then he had raised his legs on the couch, embracing them and resting his head over his knees.

"And then… Then was last year…"

And he found out that he still couldn't talk about it, he had lost that last member of his family, the only one he got to know for real.

"I'm sorry…"

Draco didn't know what to do, he hadn't known about Black's relationship with Harry, didn't know how he had died, his father was in Azkaban and no one would tell him, he was not a Death Eater after all.

"It's not your fault… You couldn't have known about something you didn't see… Sirius died because of me… He… He…"

Light sobs replaced words, and Draco couldn't stand it anymore, he stood up and went to Harry's side, taking seat on the armrest and placing a hand on Harry's back.

"Maybe I wasn't there, but I definitely didn't help any… Taunting you the way I did… If all, I'm sorry for that. If I feel the way I do having my father in prison, I know your pain is thousand times worst…"

Harry said nothing, he closed his eyes and let the silent tears escape his eyes, Draco stayed silent just being there and making a soothing motion on Harry's back.

_The worst is, that I know I haven't heard everything, this is just what happened during school time, for what he said, his time with his relatives was not a happy trip to the beach._

"Do you… Could you tell me about what happened? It's just… I want to understand, no one said anything about it, he was so angry… He wouldn't explain the reasons, just delivered the punishment…"

Draco looked at him with almost pleading eyes, he really wanted to know, not because it was information about Harry, but because himself, because it had to do with what happened afterwards.

"I want to know the 'crime' my mother and I paid the price for…"

That actually got to him, Harry had not thought about it that way, Draco had paid a high price too, not only he lost his father, but Voldemort released his fury on his mother and then on him, forcing him to do something horrible. So yes, he decided that if there was someone who should know, that was Draco.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think about it that way… You have all the right to know Draco…"

Draco was about to tell him not to apologize but Harry raised his hand stopping him.

"No, please… Just let me go on…"

Harry let go of his knees and sat straight again, forcing Draco to leave the armrest, the blonde went back to his chair, reluctantly though.

"That night, I was tricked by the Black's elf, Kreacher… He told me Sirius had been captured and taken to the Ministry, I believed him and with the help of several member of the DA we left the school and went there too. We got into the Department of Mysteries, and I found the prophecy, we where ambushed and we had to fight. The orb with the prophecy broke, but given the loud noise inside the place, no one heard a thing"

He took his cup of tea and took a small drink; once again whishing Sirius was there, cursing Bellatrix for taking away the last of his family.

"During the battle, Bellatrix Lestrange, whom, if I'm not wrong, is your aunt, was fighting against Sirius; she shot a spell and sent him flying through the room, till he went past the veil… Remus said there was nothing I could do, that he was gone for good… In my rage I went after Bellatrix, and found her next to Voldemort himself…It was the first time I tried to use and unforgivable, it didn't work though, she said that I lacked the most important, the will to cause pain just for the pleasure of causing it, because of pure and unaltered hate and plain evilness… Now I understand what she said… They managed to escape, but your father, together with some others were captured and sent to Azkaban… I didn't really care what happened to them… Sirius was dead and it was all my fault, I should have practiced, I should have used the mirrors my godfather gave me…"

He looked at the snake with a mixture of feelings, in one hand his own shame for not thinking about how much that had affected Draco, in the other the hate and self loathe for losing his godfather and finally, a pleading one, to Draco to forgive him.

"I'm so sorry… I should have known something like that would happen… I'm supposed to be the savior, but I clearly can't save anyone… I'm so very sorry, because you shouldn't have been through what you had to live"

"STOP! Just stop… It's not your fault Harry! You couldn't have predicted that, either what happened to Black, nor what happened to me…"

Harry left the cup over the table, his hands trembling.

"It's the truth Draco… If I had done what I was supposed to do none of that would have happened, the truth is that I was irresponsible and immature… Dumbledore put me to work with Snape because I **needed** to block him out, he used me and you, your mother and Sirius paid the price…"

His logic was right, Draco knew that, but still.

"Harry… I'm sure your godfather doesn't blame you… And to tell you the truth, I'm kind of glad it happened the way it did to me and my mother… I finally saw the real face of the one I thought was right. You freed me from him, and for that I'm grateful"

Harry looked at him with an expression of incredulity, he never wanted something like that to happen to anyone, he **knew** what it felt to be under the Cruciatus curse.

"You... Draco Malfoy, are a very estrange person…"

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you…"

Finally he saw what he wanted, a smile. It wasn't a big one, but it was a start, he decided then a there that he wouldn't let Harry feel so miserable ever again, he didn't know how difficult that would be, or practically impossible.

"I guess is my turn now…"

"You don't have to, really…"

"I want to, now shut up and listen…"

Harry arched an eyebrow but did as he was told, which in itself was one of the most incredible things he had done, taking in count who had told him that.

"Contrary to common knowledge, my family is very caring... I know that associating that word with my father is not easy, but is the way it is… Is true, I never lacked good things, I had a nice house and excellent food. I got everything I wanted most of the time and was spoiled, however my parents were very caring, they never abandoned me and whenever I had problems they would help me… If I tripped and fell my mother would help me and cure me… My father would always ask me what I learnt and would smile proudly at me if I answered right…"

It was Draco's turn to pick his cup and drink a little.

"Yes, they also taught me about You Know Who and about the purity of the blood… Though they never used and unforgivable in front of me, they did tell me that muggleborns and half bloods were inferior and would be used as a step to the top… He told me that only pure bloods could take care of the wizarding world… I think that was the reason I continued to hate you so much, because you and Granger broke all the truths I lived so long with… If my logic was right, then you and she should have been nothing but another face in this school, but you weren't…"

He smiled bitterly and then snorted.

"I think it was the reason my father wanted to kill you and your friends… You, without previous notice, changed all the things he had believed to be true… He got angry with me, because I couldn't get better scores than hers, except maybe in potions, but he treated me well, at best he said I couldn't do this or that, the worst was not having permission to go outside and fly…"

He closed his eyes and sighed.

"I think he knew perfectly well how mad he was… Is… I met Him only last year, before my father had always kept me as far away from Him as he could. And I think he actually followed him because he thought it was the best way to keep us secure… You just don't go against a powerful and crazy wizard… Except you of course…"

Draco smiled when he heard Harry's laugh.

"Definitely, you're even crazier than he is… You're no only going against Him, you even laugh at him…"

Harry actually had the audacity laugh even more.

"Yeah… I can't take his whole 'crusade' seriously… Giving the fact that he's a hypocrite… Did you know that he's a half blood? His father was a muggle…"

Draco looked at him with wide eyes, that was something he definitely didn't know.

"But… Why?"

"Why he's so centered in killing all muggleborns and half bloods? My only guess is his father… There could be a lot of explanations, maybe he didn't know his wife was a witch, and when he figured it out he left them, or maybe he didn't even know he had a son… Maybe his mother used a love potion and when the effects passed he left, not caring for her or his son… Who knows really… It doesn't matter anyway, right now he's just evil, and must be stopped…"

Draco nodded, that was right.

"I'll have to talk with my father… I hope to have the chance to do it, I know that he'll agree with me into helping you… Lucius Malfoy is a man who cares about honor and even when he bowed to a creature like that, he thought he was a pureblood… I know you may not understand this, but it is the way families as old as mine thinks about it… For him, knowing he had been bowing to a half blood will be a kick to his pride. He'll feel that he disgraced the name of the Malfoys and will do whatever it takes to gain it back… Even if that means helping half bloods and muggleborns, just that now he wouldn't be bowing to them…"

Strange logic that was, but Harry some how understood.

"One should bow to no one Draco, respect doesn't mean submission… I know its cynical coming from me, because I gave in to the name wizards and witches gave me, I have been doing as people expected from me, and placed myself as the most powerful, as they say, weapon for the light side… I am, for a lack of a better term, a lackey of the light side… But I don't bow to them… And Dumbledore knows better than to try and make me…"

He frowned, and right then decided that for the new DA to work, people first should have to stop being afraid of a name, and he would start with Draco.

"You know? If you say that you won't bow to him, then you'll start by saying the name he gave himself o his real name… Voldemort or Tom Riddle, that will be the first lesson of defense, fear no name… You won't call him, You Know Who, or Dark Lord and definitely not He Who Must Not Be Named… He is Tom Marvolo Riddle, the same way I'm Harry Potter and not the Boy Who Lived, or the Golden Boy, or the Savior…"

_Yeah right…_

"Oh please do shut up…"

Draco looked at him with a lost expression for a moment before he understood, and he tried to hide a small laugh.

"Yes, please laugh at me and my MPD…"

"Your what?"

Harry narrowed his eyes.

"God, you people really need to learn more muggle terminology and sciences, starting with psychology… I think the whole Voldemort issue wouldn't have ever happened if you people had some good shrinks here…"

Now it was Harry's turn to laugh at Draco's really lost face.

"Could you please explain yourself?"

He asked with also narrowed eyes and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Ok, shrinks, or psychologists are muggle doctors, they specialize in brain diseases, the kind that cannot be cured with a pill or in our case with a potion; they fix what people call insanity just that, is not always is that… Sometimes those are just disorders… I'm not going to explain what MPD's are… Sorry"

'_Yes, because that would be admitting that you have a problem…'_

_You're not a problem… You're just annoying, now leave me alone…_

Well, Draco didn't seem very akin to question about it, he was still trying to understand the thing about the shrinks.

"You will explain that to me again, won't you? Because frankly, I didn't really get it…"

Harry sighed and nodded.

"Just not right now…"

He stretched on the armchair and then stood up.

"We should be going, lunch will start soon… And I'm hungry…"

"Still?"

"Hey! I only ate two cookies and didn't finish my tea!"

Draco shook his head, but smiled and stood up too.

"Ok then… See you at Care of Magical Creatures later…"

Harry nodded and let Draco leave the room first, he would leave a few minutes after him and would go to his room, and then he would go to the Great Hall. He hoped this thing would be over soon, he was quite tired of trying to hide this new 'friendship' with Draco.

**TBC**

Once again, thanks to all those who has put me into your author, and story alert, as well as the C2 groups. Thanks for your reviews and I hope to see more of those, I want to know what you think of this fic.

I hope you liked this chapter too, I'm working in the next as well, so I'll be posting again soon.


	6. Chapter 06

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. Though, after reading Deathly Hallows I've decided to keep some facts about them, so **from chapter 8 onwards the fic may contain spoilers.**

**AWAKENINGS**

Chapter 6

Finally all the schedules were ready, Ron had made an excellent job with them and the captains had agreed to them without complain. Now came the hard part, to try working together. Harry found himself in front a room filled with sixth years, from all the houses and knew this would surely result in someone hurt, he was glad Ron and Hermione weren't there. He was waiting for Snape and Draco to appear, since all these people would only shut up when Snape appeared and shut them up the way he always did, slamming the door.

_BAM!_

_Ah finally, I was about to get a headache…_

"Silence!"

All the students fell silent, and Harry was once again glad he had decided to work with Snape.

"Mister Potter…"

Snape nodded as a way to greet him.

"Professor…"

Harry did the same and then greeted Draco.

"Malfoy"

"Potter"

Snape rolled his eyes but said nothing, he guessed he would have to get used to that.

"Now that every one is silent we can finally start… Mister Potter, do you have a guide to start these lessons?"

Harry nodded even thought he knew most of what he had planned would be changed later, that was the reason he put a teacher with each group, they knew better.

"Well, I first wanted to test them, see how their defensive skills are, making them duel in pairs and then in small groups. The idea is that they start sharpening their reflexes, since you never know where a curse is coming from… I want them to always be ready with a shielding charm"

Snape nodded.

"That would be a good start, we will prepare the classes after this, I want to have everything well scheduled for each class…"

"Of course…"

To say he felt uncomfortable would be an understatement, it really was awkward to work with someone you never liked before, but they had made a truce, put their cards over the table and made amends.

"Umm, how are we dividing them? We choose the pairings or let them do it?"

Harry turned to Draco and decided to let him decided that.

"You decide…"

"Let them choose then, if it's just practice is better if they work with someone they feel secure with…"

The other two nodded and Snape too charge.

"You heard them! Choose a partner and start!"

Harry got Seamus and Draco decided to work with Pansy, even if she agreed to do this she still was a bit angry with Harry and Draco feared she would try to do something against him. He took her to the other side of the room as far away from Harry and Seamus as he could.

"I'm not going to hurt him…"

"I prefer to be sure… You know I trust you but you also know I **know** you…"

She huffed but said nothing, he just knew her way too well.

"I hate you"

"No you don't, and now concentrate…"

She was about to stick her tongue out to him when he shoot a bat-bogey hex, she didn't have the time to shield it, but did jump aside just in time.

"Draco!"

"Enemy's not going to wait for you to be ready Pans…"

He then fired a leg locking one, this time Pansy was ready to shield it and fired back a petrificus. Draco stopped it and then fired a new hex quickly, they kept that rhythm for a while, sometimes they hit sometimes they blocked and other they avoided them. Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Harry was fighting Seamus and was pleased to see that the boy had been practicing during summer.

"Good Seamus! Tarantallegra!"

Seamus had been distracted because of the praise and didn't dodge in time or reacted to block it, and found himself unable to stop his legs from moving. Harry stopped the hex and let the boy rest for a moment.

"I'm sorry Harry, I got distracted…"

"Don't worry pal, but now you know that no matter what you can't stop focusing on the battle… Now rest for a moment while I watch the others"

Seamus nodded and took a seat near a window, he wasn't tired or anything but he knew Harry wanted to watch the others. He looked to wards the Slytherins, still not really trusting them. Snape on the other hand was looking at Harry, watching him give directions and helping some of the students to get a better result.

_He really knows what he's doing, I'm impressed…_

He also felt a bit saddened, for he understood that the boy didn't really need him, or any one else for that matter, which meant the boy had never been really a boy. He may not like children but he agreed with Dumbledore that they should have the right to be boys and enjoy it. Harry had never got that, he grew up already a man, and there was nothing anyone could do to fix that.

"OK! Stop everyone!"

All of them turned to the professor, ending hexes and then lowering their wands, waiting for the next exercise.

"Now you will practice in groups of four… This time I'll make the groups"

Neither Harry nor Draco said a word, that had been the idea from the start and Snape had followed perfectly. New groups were formed, but what kept distracting the others was the group formed by Draco, Harry, Pansy and Blaise. However a well placed word from their professor made them all focus on their own group, soon the practice started. Snape's eyes went from one group to the other, but they finally stayed on Draco's group, if his calculations were right there soon would be havoc.

"Tarantallegra!"

Pansy blocked and sent a hex towards Blaise who jumped aside and sent his own hex towards Harry, he blocked and avoided Draco's curse in time. Draco blocked Blaise's expelliarmus and managed to barely avoid Harry's, the problem was that Pansy didn't like that and the fact that she still was angry with Harry because of the talk that first day, well she wanted revenge. Her skills were good and so she waited till the boy was attacked a the same time by Blaise and Draco to attack, and she did.

"Stupefy!"

There was a problem with that hex, first this was just practice, they would start using stronger spells later, and second she actually used a movement of the wand that gave the caster more power to cast the hex. This resulted in Harry blocking Draco's spell, avoiding Blaise's but unable to avoid Pansy's, so he was sent flying through the air towards the place Snape was. There was a step and he was going to hit it right down with his head, which would probably kill the boy, however Snape was faster and managed to intercept Harry, but with the force of the flying body he was thrown back too, hitting his side with the step.

"PARKINSON!"

Draco had taken her wand away very fast and Blaise went to his head of house and Harry's side, taking the latter off of the man so he could help Snape. But he didn't stand up, his face showed the deep pain he felt.

"Professor!"

Everyone had stopped now, Draco literally gave Pansy to Goyle and went to help his godfather. Harry was unconscious, Dean and Seamus were next to him and were checking him for any injuries, they found none and promptly countered the hex.

"Harry? Are you ok?"

He nodded and was about to answer when he saw Snape, his eyes opened wide and stood up still a bit weakened.

"Professor!"

He kneeled down next to the man and looked at Draco.

"What the hell happened?!"

"Pansy's curse was too strong, he went to catch you before you hit your head on the step… He hit his side instead"

Even though Draco was talking calmly his voice was a bit shaky.

"Dean transfigure a table into a stretcher! Seamus go to Madame Pomfrey and let her know we're taking Professor Snape to the infirmary!"

Quick clear orders, has he not been in so much pain he would have actually smiled. Snape wanted to move, he didn't want his students to see him like that but there was nothing he could do right now.

"Crabbe, Goyle! Take Pansy to the common room and stay with her"

The two looked at Draco and nodded doing just as the blonde said, Pansy was in shock that was not what she wanted to happen. Harry, Draco, Blaise and Dean helped Snape to get into the stretcher and levitated it.

"Class over for the day… Do **not** say a word about this to the others, **understood**?!"

The rest of the students nodded, you just didn't mess with Harry and Draco when they were as upset as they were right now. The four left with their teacher, leaving a room full of sixth years shocked.

"I definitely don't want to be in Parkinson's shoes right now"

Lavender nodded at that, Parvati had said what everyone there had thought.

"Merlin… She can be dense sometimes…"

They all looked at Millicent, while she shook her head and sighed. That was something that only the Slytherins would understand. Padma sighed as well and started to walk to the door.

"We should better go…"

The rest nodded and soon the room was empty.

-.-.-

By the time they had made it to the infirmary Madame Pomfrey had everything ready.

"Oh goodness! Come here boy, take him here!"

They levelled the stretcher with the bed and now with Seamus help they carefully put the man on the bed.

"Is there something else we can do?"

The mediwitch shook her head.

"No, I'll take it from here… Is there any other injured?"

Dean was about to tell her what happened to Harry but he stopped him.

"No Madame, just him…"

"Ok then please leave, I'll let you know as soon as I can boys"

They all nodded and left the infirmary, once they were out Harry turned to Dean and Seamus.

"Guys, please go back and let the others know everything's ok… If they ask, I'll be 'fixing' some problems"

They just nodded and left quickly, Draco didn't need to ask he just led the Gryffindor towards the dungeons and to the Slytherin's common room. Blaise said the password lowly and the door opened, letting the three enter the room. Draco noticed something that actually scared him, the one who would talk to Pansy was not Harry, it was Potter.

_Merlin, do protect her… This is not going to be pretty…_

Even if the prospect of that confrontation scared him a little he knew had to be ready to interfere. He would not let Potter do as he pleased, Harry was the one in charge and he was going to do all he could to make it be that way. Potter took seat in one of the arm chairs, facing Pansy and the other two. Draco sat on the other armchair so he would be close enough to interfere in case something happened and Blaise had taken place behind Pansy, standing behind the couch.

"Parkinson…"

The voice, the gestures everything was so estrange, so unlike Harry that it wasn't even funny. The girl looked up and frowned, but said nothing.

"Are you aware that you may have injured the best teacher for this classes that this school has ever had? Are you aware that you could have killed me had I hit that step with my head? Are you aware that this is the kind of things that make the others not trust you?"

She stayed silent, her fists clenching and probably waiting for Draco to say something and help her. But he wouldn't do, that would make Harry's words lose weight and that was not the idea.

"You said that the rest of the school wouldn't give a chance to Slytherins, with this behaviour they never will. I want the whole school united, working as one or we will perish, do you understand?!"

"Yes…"

Harry narrowed his eyes, she wasn't lying but as far as he could see she was kind of unstable, someone like that would only cause problems and chaos, and they needed order and a systematic course of actions.

"Once professor Snape has recovered you will apologise to him and will be helping those who have problems during trainings. Without your wand, I don't want more problems"

She nodded, accepting his words without protest, which in itself was quite weird, but there was something about the boy in front of her that gave her the feeling of deep respect, and somehow she **knew** it had nothing to do with his position as the 'saviour of the wizarding world'.

"Malfoy… From now on, you will be in charge of your house, they will answer to you. Zabini, you will be second in charge, keep an eye and let me know about everything that happens here, specially with those who are not trusted"

Both boys nodded, though Draco felt scared, he didn't like Potter, this Harry was so wrong that clashed with absolutely everything he knew about him. The problem was that he couldn't get rid of him so soon, he had the kind of presence that made the others follow him.

"Malfoy, come with me… Zabini, let us know through owl how's professor Snape doing… Crabbe, Goyle, keep an eyes on Pansy and don't let her get out"

Draco raised an eyebrow, he noticed finally something quite important. All of the others followed Harry's orders without protest, and he didn't understand because Slytherins had never followed someone from other house, much less Gryffindor. And he finally decided that there was something about Harry that probably no one knew about, not even Harry himself, neither Draco he may be thinking it but sure he was not.

_What is it, Harry Potter, that thing you have, which makes even the most opposed to follow your orders?_

They left the room and the dungeons, when they were about to get to the Great Hall Draco stopped Harry.

"That's enough Potter, you did your deed now leave"

"And why should I do as you say Malfoy?"

Draco pushed him against the wall and looked at him in the eye.

"Because you'll be in deep shit if you don't, now let Harry come back or I'll go to have a talk with Madame Pomfrey and the headmaster"

"If you do that the idiot would never forgive you"

"I'll take mi chances, as it is I prefer him mad at me than having to work with you"

Potter scowled but did as he was told, he knew that if Draco actually gave word of Harry's state to the nurse or Dumbledore he didn't stand a chance, for one would try to get rid of him and the other would try to **use** him and **then** get rid of him.

"Thank you…"

"You're welcome…"

Harry wanted to try to use occlumency against that hideous part of him, that was the other reason he wanted Snape to teach him the subject.

"By the way, I would get mad at you, but I would definitely forgive you…"

He smiled, but soon that smile was gone, replaced by a very serious look.

"Please Draco… If you see that he's taken over me, do it. Go tell Snape, Pomfrey and Dumbledore… In that exact order"

Draco nodded, Harry really didn't need that other part of him, he noted; he was completely able to make the right decisions. And so, he would start doing as Harry said, not as Potter said.

"You'll be fine Harry… Don't ask me why, but I'm sure of that"

Harry smiled at that, and Draco found that expression did something more that just reassure him of Harry's abilities, it moved him.

"It's good to know that at least someone has faith…"

Draco raised an eyebrow at that.

"You don't?"

"I just don't know what the hell I'm doing sometimes, I mean, I **know** what I **have** to do, I don't know if I'm doing it right… Death's my only option, it shouldn't be"

"It's the only way Harry"

"I'm no god to decide who lives and who dies, Draco. If I were Sirius, Cedric and a lot of other people would be alive right now"

Draco's face saddened, there was nothing he could say to that. At the end he just did what he felt was the right thing to do, he embraced Harry.

"I'm sorry Harry"

Following Draco's example, he too followed his feeling and embraced him back.

"It's not your fault, it's no ones fault… It's war, I could blame Voldemort, I could blame society for thinking the way they do… I could even blame muggles for that fact, but the thing is that… It doesn't matter, what's to be done, has to be done"

"And that's what bothers you the most, that you have no say in the matter… I understand, but there's something **you** have to understand"

He separated from Harry just enough to look him directly in the eyes.

"You're not **alone**"

"You don't know how much that means to me"

They stayed like that for a while, looking into each other's eyes, not really comprehending what was happening. Green locked with grey, memories of other pair of eyes suddenly coming back to their minds. Eyes that looked a bit different, but hat in essence were the same.

_The smell of the sea… _

He always thought of that when he was with Draco, didn't understand why and he never gave it real importance. He liked it and that was all he needed to know. Draco was the first to react and let go of the other boy.

"Don't worry about Pansy, I think she'll come around… She's just angry because of the things you said to her that first day"

"It was the truth though, if she wants others to accept Slytheirn then she will have to start behaving differently. I'm not asking for you people to change the way you are. I'm just asking for tolerance and understanding"

Draco nodded smiling.

"I know, it'll take a bit but it will work out at the end"

"I'm glad someone has confidence… I'm counting on you Draco"

Draco blushed a little but he didn't really mind, Harry smiled and sighed.

"I've to go, it's our turn to practice, we have the first game with Hufflepuff next weekend"

"I'm sure Gryffindor will win, against Ravenclaw too, but this year the cup will be for Slytheirn"

He said proudly and very confident.

"Don't be so sure, don't forget I've got the best strategist of this school in my team…"

"Not everything is about strategy my dear lion"

Harry raised an eyebrow but smiled.

"Specially when it comes from a snake, but we'll manage"

"I can't wait for our game then…"

"See you then… bye"

"Bye"

Draco went back to the dungeons while Harry went upstairs, he got to the third floor and to the hospital wing, he opened the door and after checking that Madame Pomfrey wasn't anywhere near he entered and got to where Snape was resting. Harry felt relieved to see the man was not sleeping but reading a book.

"Professor Snape?"

Snape raised his eyes and looked at him.

"Mister Potter… Is there something wrong?"

"No, everything has been taken care of… I just wanted to know how you were feeling, what did Madame Pomfrey say?"

Snape raised an eyebrow but answered anyway.

"The fall caused a small rupture of the ligaments and the hip bone cracked, but she already fixed it and I'm actually here because she wouldn't let me go"

Harry couldn't stop his smile.

"Yeah, she's like that… I just wanted to apologise for what happened, I should have been more careful too"

"Mister Potter, there's a limit for what someone can do, especially during a fight. Miss Parkinson caught you in a moment when you clearly couldn't have done much"

Harry sighed and sat down in a chair near the bed.

"Which says how little can I do on my own"

"I really hope you get more confidence in yourself, or we all are doomed… On the other hand, this episode showed us something. We can't go out there alone, it will be better if there are groups of at least three people each"

Harry pondered on that and nodded.

"That way they won't take us by surprise… And situations like the one at the ministry won't repeat again"

Snape could see the grief under those words and felt horrible for not letting the boy know the truth, they were still trying to understand why Sirius Black had come back from the veil.

"Mister Potter… I know you think this is none of my business but, have you talked with Lupin?"

Harry clenched his fists and looked down.

"No… I … Can't"

Snape frowned, he didn't like the way Harry has behaving, and for the boy's well being he better not be blaming himself about what happened back then.

"Well, you should"

"I can't face him professor"

Snape put the book on the small table next to his bed and turned a bit on his side to look at Harry directly.

"You better not be blaming yourself Potter"

Harry raised his face and looked at them with anger.

"What is it to you? What ever I think of it has nothing to do with you professor"

That last word was said with almost rage.

"And even if it did, it changes nothing… I made a mistake and Sirius paid for it with his life. Don't tell me it was not my fault I should have known better. You of all people should agree with me, if I had not stopped my lessons, if I had actually taken them seriously nothing would have happened that night!"

Snape stayed silent, waiting for Harry to let everything go. He had discreetly put a silencing charm around them so the nurse wouldn't hear and interrupt them.

"I knew Kreacher hated Sirius and wanted him out of the house, I knew Voldemort could manipulate my mind into seeing what he wanted me to see. I had the ways to check if it was true or not, but I didn't. So please tell me how nothing of that was my fault!"

"Black has never been stupid, insufferable yes, a pain in the back yes, immature, that too… But not stupid. He knew it was a trap, he also knew the risks and finally he was not the only one who was there, even if you had stayed at Hogwarts The Order and aurors would have gone there. Because there was no way a magical presence such as his would not be noticed"

"But he went there because of me, because he wanted to protect me… So please tell me how is that **not** my fault"

Snape sighed.

"He was there because he didn't want to feel useless Potter, after what I told him he felt completely useless, so if you want to blame someone for his death, then you would have to blame me"

Harry stood up, still with his fists tightly clenched and a scowl on his face.

"Do not try to make me feel better, it's not working… Nothing you say will change the truth Professor. Sirius is dead because I was careless and didn't think before I acted. Now if you'll excuse me, I have quiddicht practice"

With that Harry turned around and left the room, leaving an angry and frustrated Snape behind.

_They better find out why that mutt is still alive, or I will kill him again for sure._

Snape lifted the charm and sighed, took his book and continued his reading. No really concentrating on what was written in the book. The door of the hospital opened again he lifted his head to see who it was, thinking that maybe Harry needed something else, he didn't expect the visitor.

"Hello Severus… I heard about what happened, are you alright?"

Snape smiled lightly and nodded, closing his eyes.

"Yes, I'm quite fine now, thought Pomfrey will not let me go till tonight, or tomorrow morning…"

Remus laughed softly, knowing how much Snape hated to be in the infirmary, even when they were students there.

"How's Harry?"

Snape frowned, once again closed his book and put it aside.

"Stubborn and just plain idiotic"

"Then he's fine, otherwise you wouldn't be insulting him…"

Snape sighed and looked at the wolf, his face took a more gentle expression.

"What about the mutt? Have you figured out why in Merlin's name is he alive?"

"Not yet, but there's nothing obscure in him, at least not more than he already was after escaping from Azkaban. I think it would be ok for Harry to know now, it's not good that he spend more time thinking his godfather is dead"

"Just do me a favour and don't do it when I'm around, I have this feeling Potter will not take it very well and I don't want to be in the middle of that fight"

Remus shook his head smiling, the problem was that he knew Snape was right and lately Harry has been exploding for the tiniest of things.

"We'll do it next week, Sirius is completely recovered now and can go against Harry…"

"You make it sound like it will be the fight of all fights…"

Remus sighed.

"Knowing those two, it will be"

Snape reached the small table and once again took his book about ancient Greece, moving his head from one side to the other.

**TBC**

Ok, first than anything, I'm really sorry I took so long I've been working double shift and really had no time at all to update. I hope you liked this chapter too, I'm sorry is so short, but I promise next chapter will be a lot longer.

Finally, I want to say thanks to all those people who has added me to their notice lists or their favourites. And I hope to see more reviews puppy face


	7. Chapter 07

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. Though, after reading Deathly Hallows I've decided to keep some facts about them, so **from chapter 8 onwards the fic may contain spoilers.**

**AWAKENINGS**

Chapter 7  


The week had come and gone, as Draco predicted Gryffindor won against Hufflepuff. Their friendship was more and more strong and now that they had all the answers they needed there was no reason to keep hiding it. Neither Pansy nor Hermione asked any more questions, if they weren't back by curfew then they were together in the Room of Requirement. Ron had started to accept it and just shrugged knowing that there was nothing really he could do.

Pansy, Hermione, Blaise and even Neville suspected something, something that even Draco and Harry had not noticed yet. The four of them were right now outside, it was Sunday and once again their leaders had gone to talk, leaving them to wonder and some of them even plotting.

"I'm still not that sure Hermione, maybe we are reading too much into it"

The four of them were sitting under a tree, the weather was nice and what they were doing gave the idea of school unity more strength.

"Or maybe we are just right about it Longbottom"

Blaise had done as they friends had told him and tried to spend more time with the Gryffindor. Neville felt comfortable with him, he was actually very nice and had a lot in common with him. So now they were sitting next to each other while Hermione and Pansy were sitting in front of them, not really forming a circle.

"I would really like if we were right, I never saw Draco so happy before…"

"That's true, when they are talking and working together I can see Harry relaxing a lot. If Malfoy can do than then I have nothing to say against it. He does need some peace of mind"

They all nodded, not knowing how right they were for real, Pansy stood up and stretched a bit.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom"

Hermione stood up too.

"I'll go with you"

Pansy nodded and they started walking back to the castle.

"Why girls always have to go to the loo together?"

Blaise shrugged, thank Pansy for giving some time alone with Neville, they didn't see the matched grins on the two girls faces.

"Playing matchmaker Granger?"

"Just following your example Parkinson, you started it after all"

They laughed and finally entered the school, Blaise turned to look at his companion and smiled.

"By the way, did the potion work?"

Neville turned to look at him a bit surprised, he had been thinking about something else when Blaise had talked.

"Wha- Oh, yes it did, Trevor's leg is much better now, thank you"

It had happened that in one of Trevor's escapades the toad had hurt one of its legs, the animal had been near the stairs that went to the dungeons when a first year had ran next to it and one of her books had fallen, hurting the poor animal's leg. Blaise had found it and looked for Neville, he gave him back the toad and later had given him a curative potion.

"By the way, Parsons says she's sorry for what happened, it wasn't intentional"

"I thought so, tell her not to worry, that I'm not mad"

Blaise nodded and decided to take a huge risk, he just hoped to be right and that Neville was as gay as he thought he was.

"Um, Neville… Next weekend is a Hogsmeade one. I was thinking that maybe you would like to go with me, there're some things I would like to buy and-"

"Ok"

Blaise looked surprised but smiled when he finally processed the information.

"Really?"

"Yes, I also want to buy some things, besides I'm low in food for Trevor…"

"Oh"

There was a bit of disappointment in his answer, Neville said yes because he needed to go too. The Gryffindor blushed and turned his head to the side.

"And… Well, if you want... We could, you know, go for an ice cream or so"

Blaise's smile returned full force.

"I would really like that"

Yes, he kind of wanted a lot more than that but knowing the other boy, if he wanted something serious and long lasting he would have to be patient and let Neville go at his own pace.

-.-.-

"Are you **insane** Lupin?!"

Remus was on one of the armchairs in Snape's office, very calm despite Snape's yelling.

"No, I just think he has the right to know about this too"

Snape looked at him with a murderous glare.

"You sure you're not working for Him?! That would give him a heart attack for Merlin's sake!"

Remus sighed and looked at the other man in the room asking for help.

"As much as it pains me to admit it, Snivellus is right Remus… I really don't think he'll take something like this very well… Even less if you tell him right after you tell him I'm alive and all that"

Snape felt like throttling Sirius but if he did that then Remus would win and that was not a good idea.

"But you accepted it fairly quick Sirius, and you two have heated each other's guts since I can remember"

"That's not the point here Remus, the mutt is the mutt and Potter's Potter, they are definitely not the same, and the boy is not in the best state of mind right now"

"What do you mean?"

It was Sirius turn to give a murderous look to the potions master.

"Don't look at me like that Black, you know it's the right thing to do"

"Would any of you care to explain me what the hell is happening?!"

Angered Remus is no good Remus, at least that was what went through both men minds.

"I'll tell you Moony, just please don't try to talk to him about it ok? Malfoy is already helping with that…"

"You're scaring me Padfoot"

Sirius sighed and Snape sat down on the arm of the armchair Remus was sitting on, Sirius didn't like it but had to thank the man for thinking before hand.

"Well, do you remember the book you sent Harry for his birthday?"

Remus nodded and felt his chest hurt, something told him that what he was about to know was nothing good, actually he felt it was something downright terrible. Snape raised an eyebrow he didn't know anything about a book and what had to do with Harry's problem.

"Snape, there are things I didn't tell you that night. You said it was not my fault, but you were wrong… I, through Remus, gave him the means to do what he did"

Snape's eyes opened wide and only the hand that was holding his kept him from hexing the man in front of him.

"What the hell did you **do** Black?!"

"I **told** you it was my fault… Now shut up and let me finish"

Remus was looking at them very lost, what had happened that was so bad it raises so much anger within the two men?

"Remus, Harry has been torturing himself since months ago. He mastered the spells in the book and used them to shield his magic from the ministry, he would cast powerful silencing and locking spells to stop others from knowing what he was doing… He was crucioing himself… I don't really understand it completely, but it seems that Harry curses himself as a punishment for the deaths he thinks he has caused, no, actually he punishes the boy who lived, the golden boy… He has two personalities and punishes the one he blames for those deaths"

Snape had a painful expression in his face, mostly because Remus was gripping his hand tightly. The wolf had tears in his eyes and was shaking, of all the things he though one could do with that information that was the last he would have thought about.

"Malfoy, for some reason can hear through the silencing spells, as long as Harry is the one inside them… He was the one who alerted Snape and has been stopping Harry from doing it again, the problem is that we don't know how long that will last… And how much he was affected by it"

Snape could finally recover his abused hand and was now trying to soothe Remus, Sirius wouldn't dare to approach him right now.

"And none of you… thought I had… the right to KNOW?!"

"It's not that, I just didn't want to worry you more than you already are! Remus please understand, I know you have been feeling hurt because he doesn't want to contact you…"

"Fuck it Sirius! You know I love Harry like a son and that I had the right to know something like this! Or what you would wait till he tried to kill himself?!"

Both men lowered their eyes, because they knew those were Harry's plans.

"He… He was going to do it didn't he?"

Sirius sighed and had to close his eyes not to cry.

"After he kills Voldemort, he plans on killing The Boy Who Lived…"

Remus' eyes opened wide full of fear.

"Thus killing himself, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE SAME! For Merlin's sake since when the two of you became stupid?! I thought you both knew better than hiding something like this from me!"

"Remus please calm down, yes we didn't tell you because of Harry not wanting to contact you, but we also stayed silent because he had stopped. Malfoy has seen to it, he's the only one who can hear through those spells and Harry knows better now than trying to do it"

Remus gritted his teeth, he could do with a piece of chocolate right then.

"Moony, I only ask you one thing, do not try to talk to him about this… That would only make things worse. And this is why we think is not a good idea for you to tell him, he's had enough with knowing I'm alive… Adding your relationship with Snape is not going to help any. Let him deal with this first ok?"

The wolf finally sighed heavily and closed his eyes, calming himself a little.

"Merlin… I don't get it, you accepted it so easily and by what Severus has been telling us Harry wouldn't mind that much"

Snape snorted, receiving a glare from Remus.

"Remus, we don't know what he thinks about this kind of relationship, he very well could be homophobic or something… Besides, I think that the most urgent thing is for him to know Black is alive"

They stayed silent for a while, it was not a simple matter since they had to prepare Harry beforehand and get ready to his reactions. Snape stood up and got some tea and a bar of chocolate, knowing Remus was in deep need of one.

-.-.-

Somewhere far from the school in an alley known as Diagon, a shop was full; their owners were behind the counter, one receiving money and the other packing the purchased goods. They didn't expect, though, the sudden feeling that came over them, so they called two of their employees and left them attending the costumers. Both left quickly to the second floor and their current living quarters, when they had finally secured the door both turned to look at the other, and it looked as if one was looking into a mirror, for they were identical.

"Fred?"

Clear green stared at each other, a colour that spoke of other time and place. And so they knew, they recognized each other as those they once used to be. They felt the power within them and knew that everything was about to change, because any day now they would feel it too and would be called.

"Soon George… Maybe sooner than we think"

-.-.-

The weekend had passed, it was Monday night and Harry was in his way to Snape's office, they would start their occlumency training tonight. He was nervous but that was to be expected, he still remembered the year before and knew very well how hard these classes would be.

_Close you mind, concentrate and attack. Damn, it sounds easier said than done…_

He sighed and noticed that he was finally in front of Snape's office, he knocked twice and waited, the door was soon opened and he entered.

"Good evening Mr. Potter"

Snape was being cold and Harry was glad for it, he didn't need someone soft and caring right now. Snape stepped aside and let Harry see the pensive, but Harry shook his head slowly.

"That won't be necessary anymore Professor… What I wanted to keep secret is not secret anymore, isn't it?"

He looked at the potions master directly in the eye.

"It certainly is not, but I would prefer if you did it anyway… I don't quite want to see that Mr. Potter"

"I could say the same about you professor… If you don't want to see, then do not look for them"

Snape took a step back, the aura around Harry told him he was not pleased about his knowledge of his matters, and that was not good, taking in count that he had told another two about it and that one of those two was supposed to be dead. Every day that passed made Snape see the boy in a very different light, something that could be good or bad if not handled correctly.

"Mr. Potter, when I get into your mind I'm not looking for anything specific, I see what you have the least protected"

Harry frowned but said nothing else, he actually wanted to start the lessons.

"Very well, lets start… Close your mind, concentrate, reject"

"I know"

Harry closed his eyes and got ready, Snape didn't wait.

"Legilimens!"

A room, dark and muggle obviously, Harry was sitting in his bed, reading the book Remus had sent and moving his wand, practicing the motions to cast a particular spell. The scene changed, to previous years, his cousin chasing him and cornering him, ready to beat the lights out of him.

"Stop!"

Te spell was stopped but not by Snape's hand, Harry's magic exploded and before he could do anything the boy was inside his own mind. A much younger Snape was kneeling in front of Voldemort, his arm extended and in the process of being marked. The expression of pain in his face was pretty clear and after it had finished the young man started throwing up, Voldemort didn't seem to be the least perturbed by that. 'It happens to every one' he heard the mad man say.

"Get out!"

Harry was pushed out of Snape's mind and the man fell to the floor, cradling his left arm in his right. Harry managed to stand up as the force he had been hit with had been strong and had thrown him off the chair. He saw Snape with his eyes closed and his left hand clutching tightly.

"Professor!"

He was at the man's side in an instant, and knelt down.

"Are you alright professor?"

His tone let his worry show clearly, something that confused the man somehow. Even though they had left the ill feelings behind it was not like they were so close for Harry to worry like that. One thing was about his injury during practices and other completely different was this show of emotions towards him for something a lot less complicated. Or so he thought.

"I'm fine Potter, stop acting so worried…"

"I'm sorry…"

Snape turned his face to look at the boy and knew Harry was being sincere, just not really knowing why he was saying sorry.

"Why? You countered the curse and managed even get a glimpse of legilimency…"

"No… I'm sorry, for this…"

Harry took Snape's arm and raised the sleeve exposing the dark mark.

"You didn't put it there Potter, neither is your fault he did it"

"No, but I'm still sorry you had to get to his point in your search for recognition…"

Snape recovered his arm from Harry's grasp and lowered the sleeve, clearly affected by those words.

"This is my mistake Potter, you've nothing to feel sorry for… Now, go to your place we still have a lot of practice to do"

Harry stayed silent but did as the man said, took seat on the chair and prepared himself again.

"Legilimens!"

What Snape didn't want to see was exactly what he saw, Harry casting the spell, securing the door and casting silencing charms, and then, the torture.

"Out!"

This time Severus was ready and Harry couldn't get into his mind, but the strength of the rejection did make him take some steps backwards.

"Please Potter, use the pensive…"

Harry looked at his professor and saw the greenish tinge on his face.

"Why does it bother you that much? I'm sure you have seen worse"

"Yes I've seen, it doesn't mean it hasn't affected me… That curse is in itself disgusting"

Harry sighed but stood up and approached the pensive, and as he had seen Dumbledore doing he passed his memories to the object, Snape knew each one of those count for one session of torture. Harry had already put ten and was still going for more, and Snape wondered how it was that he was still sane.

_Longbottom's parents became insane with a lot less than that_

Twenty and counting, Snape couldn't really believe it, he didn't know that soon he would believe even less. Harry continued, more and more, till the count reached fifty two, and then the boy turned around, Snape knew right then and there what Draco meant by two different persona.

"Is there a chance that I could leave these in here? I really could live without them?"

The potions master frowned, at least this he could fix.

"You, are not Potter… Who are you?"

The Golden Boy had the audacity of actually laughing.

"I'm Harry Potter professor… Who else could I be?"

Snape raised his wand, his hand firm and his face set.

"The Boy Who Lived… Lovely, but it is not you the one I agreed to teach. Leave or I will **force** you to"

Snape felt a wave of triumph at the fear he noticed in those opaque green eyes. Soon the clear ones appeared again and Harry blinked a few times.

"Erm… Thank you, professor"

"When were you planning on telling me this?"

"Never if I could help it"

Snape gritted his teeth.

"Does Draco knows?"

"Yes, he does… And before you go and yell at him, I asked him not to do anything. That only if he saw that the other one was taking too much control, only then he could say something. First to you, then Madame Pomfrey and finally to Dumbledore… That way I would be safe of not being used as a weapon… Even more"

Snape couldn't stop the tiny smile that came to his lips.

"You had it everything prepared… And you're not a weapon Potter"

"Really? Please do tell that to the headmaster, the Ministry and the Order… They seem to think differently"

And for a fraction of second, a moment so fast that if it had been someone else wouldn't even have noticed, Snape had the urge to say '_Yes, my lord_'. That sole quarter of second scared the shit out of him, because he didn't want to serve to another lord, ever again. Even if it was a good one who would not use him however he pleased.

"Potter, we will stop for today… Go back to your house and rest"

Harry turned his head to the side, not really understanding he was not tired and could keep going.

"Are you feeling fine professor?"

"Yes, I'm just tired Potter… Now go, I still have a lot of things to do"

Harry frowned not believing one thing of what Snape was saying but not wanting to push the already fragile truce they had.

"Very well then… Good night Professor"

"Good night Potter"

Harry left the office and closed the door behind him, leaving Snape extremely tense and confused. Harry was his student, a very powerful wizard and someone he respected now, but almost calling him 'my lord' was more than he could stand.

"Bloody Hell!"

-.-.-

Harry ran upstairs, he wouldn't go back to Gryffindor, he wanted to be alone he needed to think he needed to take the urge of torturing his other self out of his system.

_I need Draco…_

He reached the Room of Requirements and noticed that the door was open, sighing he entered, hoping that the room had felt his need of a place to stay even before he reached the place. Maybe the room did, maybe it was just coincidence, but the thing is that Draco was in there, the same bed from the first time had been conjured and two cups of hot tea had been served.

"Draco?"

The blonde turned to look at him smiling lightly.

"Harry I-"

But when he noticed the state the other was in his smile disappeared.

"Harry, are you feeling alright?!"

The Gryffindor shook his head and closed the door behind him, he approached the bed and let himself fall over it.

"Want some tea?"

Harry shook his head again, closing his eyes and turning his face to the side not to look at Draco.

"Snape knows… He had the audacity to appear in front of him"

Draco did not need more explanations, he knew perfectly well who he was talking about. He sighed and sat next to Harry, put one hand over his shoulder and squeezed lightly.

"He scared the shit out of him though… I hope it'll make him stop buggering me, I sill have a lot of things to do"

"That's why I told you to tell him, if there's someone who can stop Potter that's Severus…"

Harry sighed and looked at Draco, his face revealing the tiredness and stress Harry was under.

"That's the problem Draco, I **need** him to finally win this war"

"That's bullshit Harry, you can perfectly keep going without him, as I told you before you're not alone. We will fight together and we will win this damned war"

Harry smiled tiredly closing his eyes for a moment before looking at Draco again.

"Things are changing so fast Draco, everything I knew was tore apart in so little time… When I went back to the Dursleys I knew that you and me were rivals, that Snape hated me and that there was no way I could get enough forces to fight against Voldemort. Now I found myself being friends with you, Snape not being cruel with me and almost the whole school ready to fight together…"

Draco laughed softly.

"That's what a true leader does Harry, they follow you because you give them hope… Snape knows there's a chance to finally be free and I… I finally got what I wanted since first year, yes I wasn't very kind to Weasley but you have to admit he was not innocent either… The thing is, that even though my mother supported my father about You Know Who, she wanted me to be your friend, because for her you represented safety"

Harry raised an eyebrow and snorted, but before he could say anything Draco continued.

"Please hear me out ok?"

The Gryffindor moved his hand to tell him to go ahead.

"I grew up hearing stories about you, how you vanquished this powerful wizard being just a baby… I wanted to be your friend because I saw you as someone powerful, because I was always taught that you should be always besides those with power… However, when you rejected me and went with Weasley, well I stopped thinking about the power thing, because it had become a pride thing… After that I started watching you, what you did what you said and it irked me the fact that you weren't half as bad as I wanted you to be, because at least that way I would have had an excuse for not wanting to be your friend… I hated you not because you were who you were, I hated you because you didn't think I was good enough to be your friend"

"Actually it was just because you were a bastard… The only part of you I knew was the hateful one. The Draco who insulted my friends and bought his place in the quidditch team with money; the one who constantly reminded me that my parents were dead, that Hermione was worthless because of her blood and that Ron's family couldn't give him and his brothers all they would have liked to give them. That he would always be subjected to hand me downs and second hand goods…"

There was not much Draco could say to that, but the smile the lion was giving him was reassuring.

"And a lot of other things… But, as Snape, you proved to be more than that. You two proved to me that I also made a lot of bad things, I never stopped to think of the reasons why Snape despised me so much. What could have happened that made of him such a cold and closed person, and I never took the time to think about what made you what you are. You explained to me quite clearly the other day, you usually are what the environment makes of you. You were raised to believe in the purity of the blood, Snape grew up being the target of bullies, one of them being my father… So yes, I decided that you two were evil right then and there and as the years went on that belief grew stronger, however these past month has demonstrated that not everything is written in stone and that facts can be changed… And I'm glad for it"

Draco looked at him with a 'what the fuck' expression, he understood yes, but he thought about it that way before. He looked at Harry and then pouted like a child, frowning and actually embracing his legs.

"I didn't buy my place into the team… At least not completely…"

Harry arched an eyebrow and let a small laugh escape.

"Then what do you call it?"

"Real talent helped by a little bit of bribery"

Harry opened his eyes wide and started laughing hard, from all the answers that was not the one he was expecting.

"God, Draco you're really messed up"

Draco just shrugged and let himself fall on the bed next to Harry. He turned to look at him and time stopped. Draco would never admit it, but he loved those eyes as green as Syltherin, and he felt safe and warm. Harry felt it too, it was like looking into mercury, liquid silver and he too felt secure and warm, and bold because he couldn't stop his hand from going straight to Draco's face. He touched the soft skin there and felt the scent that could only feel with the other boy, the scent of the sea.

_What… the hell am I doing?_

And even with those thoughts he didn't stop, he caressed the soft cheek and his hand was soon lost in the blond locks of fine and silky hair and didn't want to let go. His actions seemed to have moved something within the snake because he soon felt slightly calloused fingers exploring his own face. At first the blonde didn't know what to do, it was definitely unexpected but clearly not rejected. He didn't care a shit about anything else, all he could think about was that it felt good, and Harry had his own scent too, like a field full of flowers, and it made him think of a peaceful place were you could live forever without worries. A place were you wouldn't mind to die in or get to after death, they said there was a heaven were you went, he was sure it was what he imagined when he felt Harry's scent.

"Harry… I already asked you this but…"

He felt the hand on his hair stop but not leave, he hoped that it wouldn't leave anytime soon.

"What are you doing?"

They had closed their eyes, it felt right to do so and somehow the intimacy that it brought with it was completely wanted.

"What I feel is the right thing to do…"

His voice was very soft, but they had gotten closer and could hear without problems. Both had turned to rest on his sides, and were just a few inches apart. Draco took Harry's glasses off and put them aside.

"I can't see"

"It doesn't matter"

And they just followed their instincts, giving into what something deep within themselves was slowly emerging and gaining strength. They closed the distance and the warmth in them became stronger, the few inches that parted them disappeared and finally their lips found each other, merging in a kiss that had been, without them realizing it, longed for.

-.-.-

In two different houses, one of green and silver and one of red and gold two students woke up suddenly, memories of the past coming back to their minds and feeling somewhat at peace. But they also knew that events form the past may be repeated and that worried them. They also knew that maybe this time they would win, because they trust those who were to be in the front line, the two who still were oblivious to their inheritance.

-.-.-

"So this is it… We're telling him"

"Yes mutt, we are, now please stop walking around my office, you'll end breaking something"

Sirius sat down but gave Snape the finger for his effort.

"So… Mature of you"

"Well, fuck you Snivellus"

"And so you wish"

Sirius mimicked throwing up.

"That's disgusting… I still wonder how Remus can stand it"

"STOP! The both of you"

Remus was standing next to the fireplace, quite tense and not very amused by the other two's behaviour.

"Merlin, you're acting like children! And my sex life is nothing you two should be talking about! So please shut up and behave like the adults you're supposed to be!"

Sirius and Snape looked at Remus in shocked silence, Snape because he had never been called immature by Remus before, Sirius because he had never heard Remus calling Snape immature before, though the wolf called him that almost everyday.

"We have something much more important to deal with right now… Harry will be here soon enough, Sirius please go hide some were, I don't think it a good idea that the first person he sees when coming in is you… Let us prepare him before"

Giving the altered state Remus was in Sirius just nodded and got up, he would go hide behind the door that gave to Snape's personal potions lab and would wait for his cue what ever that would be. They heard the door and Snape went to open it, he didn't expect a so happy looking Harry.

"_Draco is this right?"_

_Draco was embracing him, he felt so fine being next to Harry that he didn't want to separate anytime soon._

"_It feels right to me… So I think that yes, it is"_

"_Oh"_

_Harry didn't let go either, he just sighed and tightened his embrace, they stayed like that for a few minutes before Draco yawned._

"_I don't want to go to the dungeons yet…"_

"_You can always stay here, I'm not going back to the tower…"_

_Draco needed no more incentives, he let go of Harry not really liking it but if they wanted to get into bed they needed to part. Harry stood up and closed his eyes, the room supplied then with the same pair of pyjamas they used the first time. A door opened on one side and Harry left Draco to get changed while he brushed his teeth. When he came back Draco followed hi example and went into the toilet, did what he had to do and went back to the bed. Harry had already opened it and got into it, waiting for Draco to do the same._

"_I…"_

"_Me neither, I just want to sleep… Besides, that other night, was the best sleep I ever had. I would like to have that again"_

_Draco looked at him a bit shocked, as he didn't know since when they had started to read each other so well._

"_Me too… I mean, I also had a very good sleep back then"_

_They were nervous, this was just too strange but felt so right it was scaring. Draco got into bed and covered himself, they stayed like that for a while, looking at the ceiling, not really knowing what to do next. Finally it was Draco who ventured, getting closer to Harry and resting his head on the lion's chest, Harry got a bit tense at first but he soon relaxed and embraced the snake gently. They felt it was so right and so perfect, that couldn't help but falling soundly asleep._

"Potter, what, if I may ask, could have put you in such a good mood?"

Harry smiled even more as he entered the office.

"You may ask, it doesn't mean I'll answer you…"

Remus raised and eyebrow and Sirius, hid in the other room, had to put a fist on his mouth to stop his laugh.

"I see… Anyway, is a good thing you are in a good mood, please go sit down"

Harry shrugged and took the offered seat in front of Remus, he was in a very good mood yes, but something told him that might change soon.

"Why do I have this feeling that I'm definitely won't like what ever you're about to tell me?"

Snape stood next to Remus, his wand ready to stop Harry in case he got out of control, and Harry noticed.

"Damn… I'm not going to like it at all am I?"

"Harry, there's something we haven't told you, something very important but dangerous at the same time… Before you do anything please hear us out ok?"

The boy's eyes narrowed but nodded, he crossed his arms and waited for them to start.

"Potter… You know that when something that is not supposed to happen, and actually does, you should always be careful. Especially in the magical world, where unusual things commonly are related to obscure things, and in these times almost always related to You Know Who… There are things that can not be changed, facts that shouldn't be contradicted, and the more those facts affect life their contradictions are even more dangerous"

Harry raised an eyebrow, he knew Snape liked to be cryptic not as much as Dumbledore but cryptic anyways. And this talk was even more cryptic than Dumbledore's speeches.

"Not following you, sorry"

Remus sighed and tried to explain it to him more clearly without revealing yet Sirius presence.

"Harry, do you remember Riddle's diary? What did Arthur tell you?"

"That when a book started to talk to you, then you should be careful… What are the two of you getting at with this?"

Remus was trying but the talk he had with Sirius and Snape before wouldn't let him concentrate.

"Harry-"

"No Remus, I want a direct answer not one of your 'trying to be a parent' thing"

The clear shining eyes had turned to opaque green ones.

"Potter!"

Remus was shocked Snape was not, as he knew that the one who said those words was not Harry Potter. Snape put a hand lightly on Remus shoulder to call his attention, it seemed that they would have to confront this first.

"Lupin, I present to you, The Boy Who Lived…"

Snape said in a tone that clearly showed his distaste and anger towards the boy.

"This… Merlin"

"How eloquent of you professor Lupin"

"That's enough"

Snape took his wand and pointed directly to Harry's head.

"Man you're such a bastard 'professor'"

Snape snorted and the boy closed his eyes, when he opened them the clear ones Remus knew had returned.

"Remus I… Damn"

"Harry… I'm so sorry Harry, I shouldn't have sent you the book… I shouldn't-"

Harry's snapped his head up; he hadn't realized he had looked down before, his eyes staring rage towards Snape.

"You! Why do you Slytherins can't just shut your damn mouths?! First it was Draco and now you? How do you want me to trust you when you people do things like these?!"

Snape was taken aback, this was not the Golden Boy, this was the real Harry and a very angry one. He couldn't lose the boy's trust, he actually felt guilty about it and that feeling annoyed him.

"He didn't tell me Harry"

The green eyes glaring at Snape turned to Remus, waiting for an answer, but it didn't come from him, it came from behind a door, and it was getting closer.

"**I** told them Harry… They didn't know about the book, but I did"

Harry's eyes widened, he saw the man in front of him but his mind couldn't process the facts. Sirius moved closer till he was completely out of shadows and in front of his godson, but not too close. He was standing on the other side of Remus' chair, looking fine but really sad.

"I must ask you to forgive me Harry, I never intended for you to use the book in that way… I thought it would help you I-"

"This is not about the book Black"

Sirius didn't stop looking at Harry but his shoulders fell and his fists clenched.

"I **know** Snape…"

Harry finally reacted his eyes were full of tears about to fall and his whole body was shaking.

"Si-Sirius… Why… How? I saw it, I saw you fall… Remus said..."

"That there was nothing you could do… And he was right Harry…"

Harry was looking at him completely shocked, his face was wet with tears and his body wouldn't stop shaking,

"Then how?!"

As Snape suspected Harry was getting angry, and he couldn't blame him, he felt more betrayed than ever, played with, even if that was not the truth.

"I don't know, no one knows… I should be dead, once you go to the other side of the veil you never come back. I shouldn't be here…"

And Harry understood suddenly the words Snape had said before.

_There are things that can not be changed, facts that shouldn't be contradicted, and the more those facts affect life their contradictions are even more dangerous_

"This… YOU!"

He turned to look at Remus and Snape, pure anger and they both knew he was in his right to be, Snape tightened his grip over the wand.

"You… EVERYONE! You all let me think he was **dead**! I've been mourning his death all these **months**! Having nightmares about that fucking night! Blaming myself over and over again because I lured him to a fucking TRAP?!"

He couldn't stop his tears and he also couldn't stop his magic, everything in the office was trembling and they were sure everyone in the castle would be able to feel the power very soon if they didn't do anything.

"Harry stop!"

He turned to look at Sirius again.

"And you! Why didn't you say something? No, you had to write those words on that book! Telling me that I had it because you were dead, I didn't know what to do!"

He was definitely getting out of control, and Snape knew the other side wouldn't come out because he was sure Sirius had been the catalyst for it and with him present, the Golden Boy had no chance to over power Harry.

"Who do you think I am? Do you people think is funny to play with me this way? First Dumbledore, then you? Am I a kind of sick joke to you ALL?!"

"**Calm down!**"

Snape threw him a binding spell and Harry was so upset that never got the chance to stop it.

"Release me Snape! I have all the right to be angry with all of you!"

"Shut up or I will do it for you Potter!"

Sirius grabbed Snape's arm and shook his head.

"No… Let him, he has the right after all, and he needs to release that anger…"

"I won't let him go Black, he's getting out of control"

"I'm not asking you to… Just let him talk"

"Stop talking as if I was not here damn it!"

"Harry, we only want you to clam down a little…"

Remus stood up putting a hand over Sirius mouth, he was angry and shaking.

"Harry Potter… Do you, by any chance, think that this was **easy** for us?"

"Why shouldn't I? At least you knew he was alive!"

And Remus exploded, he, who had always been a very gentle man and very rarely used violence actually slapped him.

"Barely! He came back from the dead! That's **not** something that happens usually! Sirius was extremely weak, full of injuries and so thin that he looked more like a corpse than a living person! It took months to get him cured and even then we still feared it was all some kind of dark and evil curse You know-"

"VOLDEMORT! Say his name already!"

Remus was taken aback for a second but recovered quickly.

"**Voldemort**, had prepared… He got out of St. Mungo's special ward just a month ago! Aurors had been running test after test on his body to see if there was any trace of dark magic! Severus spent his days between serving that disgusting man and brewing potions to cure Sirius! I spent almost everyday by his side, helping him in any way I could to get Sirius recovered, so DON'T YOU DARE TO SAY IT WAS EASY FOR US!"

Seeing Remus so angry and all that anger directed at him finally calmed him down, but the moment his anger was gone Harry fell apart, just then Snape finally released him and before the boy fell to the floor Sirius caught him in his arms.

"Harry?"

The lion just hid his face on the man's robes, crying like a child, the way he had not cried since a long time ago.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I didn't try to contact you before going, I'm sorry I let him trick me and lead me there. I'm sorry you had to go there and die… I'm sorry I'm not my father!"

That was something no one expected and that hurt the three men in the room, because they all had expected so much of him and never thought that their words and stories could have affected him so much. Sirius couldn't help his own tears for what he had done to Harry, because he was sure he had been the most responsible for those thoughts.

"No Harry… None of that was your fault, and never again feel sorry for not being your father. You are who you are, I should ask for your forgiveness because I saw you as something you were not, instead of seeing you as the one you truly are… James **and** Lily's **son**, you reflect a part of them, but you are not them and that's the way it should be. I'm sorry for seeking my best friend in you… I'm sorry for a lot of things"

"But you can't change the past Harry, however you can learn from it, and we did…"

Snape sighed, he already had this talk with Harry, they had already agreed that they both had made mistakes and had said their respective apologies, so he said nothing else, just stood there waiting for them to let everything out. The sobbing continued, Harry clung to Sirius afraid he was about to disappear again. He raised his face and looked at Snape just now understanding the man's words that first night.

"You wouldn't accept my apologies…"

Snape just nodded his head once knowing very well what Harry was talking about, Sirius stayed silent, he had heard everything back then and since then he had felt horrible for letting Harry keep feeling that guilt inside. Harry turned to look at him again this was just too much, even when he knew that the things he was doing were approved by Dumbledore and the Order he still felt insecure, and just now he felt he could finally admit it.

"God… I don't know what the hell I'm doing anymore, so many depend of me. If I fail muggles and wizards will fall under that bastard's hands, he'll kill and destroy… I don't want others to fight and risk their lives, just the way you did… And the way Snape does…"

He turned to look at the other man his eyes clearly asking for forgiveness.

"Don't Potter, this started a long time before you even were born, even before your parents met, be sure that you certainly were not the one who created him…"

He was getting tired but wouldn't let his body win over him, there was a lot he wanted to say. Remus beat him to it, they would make him understand that he was not at fault, that what had happened was not because he did something wrong.

"Harry even though it is said that you are the one chosen to defeat him, it doesn't mean that all the weight of this war has to be put over your shoulders. Those who are training to fight do it because they know that their future can only be written by them"

"But mine's not… I mean, it was already decided that it has to be me, I have no say in it just go on with the prophecy and do what I'm destined for"

The three men looked at each other and it was Snape who finally sighed and decided to stop Harry from his way of thinking.

"Potter, the prophecy does not dictate your life… Prophecies have many interpretations, and even when this one was more or less clearer than others, it doesn't mean your only purpose in life is that sole moment. The prophecy was born the moment… Voldemort, was born. The only thing that says is that all of our lives are intertwined, my life affects yours, yours affect Lupin's, his does it to Black's and so on… And our actions alter our future, if you stop him using a specific spell it'll affect your future differently as if you use a weapon…"

"Professor, I understand and appreciate your words… But the fact is that it is me, and me alone who can destroy him, for anyone else who tries will die. I hate it, I don't want to follow the path dictated by a prophecy, but I have to and there's nothing I can do…"

Sirius sighed and tightened his embrace.

"Harry, your life is yours only, to do as you decide to do and this prophecy is part of your life, of who you are just like your magic… We all have prophecies, that room in the Ministry is solid proof of it, but those are not a script of our lives, is just one small part of them… Embrace that part of your magic for prophecies are no more than that, part of us…"

He looked at his godson in the eyes and smiled.

"Besides, the thing never said how you were going to do it… So you still have control, as you are the one who decides how to fulfil it"

Harry smiled, got to be Sirius the one to make something like that into something that could be made fun of.

"And what do you suggest?"

"Kill him of embarrassment maybe? You could put him into some bright pink tutu and force him to dance…"

Harry looked at him wide eyed, as well as Remus and Snape, they stayed like that for a moment before actually starting laughing hard, even Snape joined them.

"Padfoot you're insane…"

"So said your father, and your mother, and Remus, and the crow behind me… And a lot of others…"

"Which tells you that it is true… You ought to get some help mutt"

"And you still should get a hairdresser, or some very good shampoo"

Harry tensed fearing they would start fighting and go back several years instead of making progress.

"I do have a very good shampoo, thank you very much… And I like my style, it scares the hell out of the students, you instead should go to the vet, and get a sanitary bath I think you got fleas again"

Harry raised and eyebrow, he had separated from Sirius a moment ago and was now next to Remus watching the show. He had noticed that the wolf wasn't about to stop them and actually seemed amused, so he decided that it was not something bad. Finally he smiled, calmer and feeling lighter; his godfather was alive he had forgave him for what had happened.

Harry was closer to be in peace than ever, with those he cared for and who cared back with him. Yes, war was close, but now he felt stronger, their words had stirred something in him and suddenly he just knew, they wouldn't lose.

**TBC**

Well, this was one hell of a long chapter, so you'll forgive me if for any reason I take a bit more of time to update. Soon the company I work for will have an auditing so I have to prepare for it.

Thanks again to all those who have put my fic into your alert lists, for you favourites and your reviews, hope to see more of those too :p I hope you all liked this chapter too.

Oh, and if you notice grammar or spelling mistakes, please do tell me, I do check each chapter over and over before posting, but sometimes I just don't notice one thing or the other. Thank you.


	8. Chapter 08

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. Though, after reading Deathly Hallows I've decided to keep some facts about them, so **from chapter 8 onwards the fic may contain spoilers.**

**AWAKENINGS**

Chapter 8

Weeks had passed and the extra defence classes were going smoothly, each teacher had been making reports and giving them to Dumbledore, so he could keep an eye on those who might be working for the other side. Harry's and Draco's relationship was a secret, for everyone they were just friends and that was perfect for them for the moment. Sirius was staying at Grimmauld which still was the Order's Head Quarters, the place had been fixed and looked even more like a decent house to live in. Sirius still disliked it but it was the safest place for him to stay.

Bill still worked in the bank, his relationship with Fleur didn't work and no matter how much veela power she had it just wouldn't be enough. Molly had her suspicions but wouldn't tell anything to him or her husband, that was something Bill would have to figure out himself. Charlie was still working with the dragons but came back from time to time to know how things were working out and if he could help with anything.

It was Friday and there were no classes in the afternoon, Harry had gone to visit his godfather accompanied by Remus and one very reluctant Severus Snape. Ron was spending his time teaching Hermione to fly a broom, after a long talk he convinced her that it was useful for you never knew when you'll need it. Pansy spent her time plotting with Hermione when she was not trying not to crush her skull on the ground and talking to Draco now that Harry was not there to distract him. She was now with him watching Ron and Hermione, but her eyesight turned to the lake, where Neville and Blaise were talking about who knew what.

"Don't even think about it Parkinson"

She turned to look at Draco and raised an eyebrow, he only called her by her surname just when he was being very serious.

"And what, pray tell, was I thinking about?"

"Play matchmaker? Just leave them be, as I see it they don't need your _help_"

She looked at his friend and started laughing.

"You senses are not the same my dear Draco… I don't need to interfere, those two doesn't need intervention, just time"

Draco was the one rising and eyebrow.

"Since when?"

"Guess you should go out more often, try now that Potter's not here to distract you"

He opened his eyes wide and she couldn't herself, her laugh even made the two at the lake turn their heads, Ron and Hermione stopped what they were doing to look at them with a weird expression on their faces.

"You're scaring them dear…"

Draco waved his hand to the other two indicating it was nothing, Ron shrugged and continued with his lesson, Hermione took a bit longer but soon went back to his classes. Neville and Blaise shrugged and continued talking.

"Please Draco, how daft do you think I am? No, let me rephrase that… Did you think I was daft or something?"

He was about to answer but she put a hand over his mouth.

"No, shut up and listen to me…"

He frowned and slapped her hand away, though he stayed silent.

"Draco, every time you two are together I see this little shine in your eyes, and Potter actually looks more spaced out than normal. You may hate me for this, but he looks quite stupid with that, 'I'm so happy face'"

That last part was said with a very dull tone of voice, she snorted and closed his mouth.

"You'll get flies in if you don't close it dear"

"But…"

"But what? It was supposed to be a secret or something? Draco, just so you know I think that the few ones that have still not noticed are the straight guys, and those who are too stupid to notice these things"

Draco actually pouted and crossed his arms over his chest, he hated when something didn't go as he planned it.

"No one was supposed to know Pansy! Being friends is already a risk, more for him than me…"

"Actually Draco dear, you're more at risk than he is. Everyone fears Potter, not because he is the 'Golden Boy' but because his temper scares the shit out of everyone, he gets mad and usually something explodes. Now that I think of it, I'll better stay away from you I don't know why I have this feeling he's the jealous type"

Draco sighed in defeat, he hated things not working his way and this time things had just not worked at all.

"He's not, at least he has never said anything that made me suspect it. He better not be, the only one who can be is me…"

"Let me guess, you're bottom?"

He actually chocked and started coughing hard, Pansy was patting him softly in his back to help him. Once he calmed down he blushed hard.

"First that's none of your business Pansy…"

"And second?"

"We have not… Erm… you know"

She looked shocked, that was something she didn't expect.

"You... haven't?"

"Pansy, I know what people say about me, but I'm **not** going around fucking the first person who expresses interest. I have only done it once, and it was just to be sure I liked men"

She frowned, she was supposed to be his best friend, Draco had told her about a lot of things and she was the first one he told when he first thought he was gay.

"Aren't you going to tell me?"

Her body language said that he better or the consequences would be painful.

"Pans, that's private and involves not only me…"

"I've been there with you all this time Draco Malfoy, I will not go around telling people about it and you know it… And for some reason I have this feeling Blaise does know, am I not good enough of a friend?"

Draco blushed even deeper and it was all she needed.

"Merlin's beard! Draco you didn't…"

He turned his head down and his blush was reaching his neck now.

"Damn, you did… Longbottom won't be pleased if he ever finds out"

"I think Blaise will tell him… But they're not, you know, _official_"

"Blaise is an idiot then"

Draco smiled at that.

"Yes, he is"

-.-.-

Next to the lake over a thick blanket Blaise and Neville were talking, they had turned to look at the quidditch pitch when they heard Pansy laughing, then shrugged and continued with their talk. Blaise was nervous, he wanted to ask Neville once and for all but feared the boys answer, on the other hand, Neville had been waiting for too long and was starting to get annoyed.

"Poor Draco, if Pansy's laughing that hard I think he's the reason…"

"She probably told him that his 'secret' relationship with Harry is not as 'secret' as he thought"

Neville smiled and looked at the lake, they had been talking about Trevor and some other animals they both liked. Blaise discovered that Neville actually liked snakes, just that they scared him a bit, but found them pretty.

"Well, as far as I know Potter thought the same… You should enlighten him too"

Neville smiled and turned to look at Blaise, if the guy was not going to do anything then he would. He was not as innocent as people though he was and had been waiting for months now.

"Blaise… Would you go with me tomorrow to Hogsmeade? Christmas is getting near and I have to buy some presents…"

Blaise smiled and nodded, hell would freeze before he declined one of Neville's invitations.

"Of course, I have to do that too… And we can go to the Three Broomsticks, I heard Madam Rosmerta created a new drink, with this cold it would be nice to - umph!"

Neville had rolled his eyes and just did as his heart dictated, closing Blaise's mouth with his. Far from them Pansy was shaking Draco and pointing towards the lake. Blaise was startled at first but soon closed his eyes and embraced the other boy, taking control of the kiss. Pansy had this happy face that Draco could have lived without seeing and had been soon joined by Hermione. She had stopped paying attention to Ron when she heard Pansy squeal and point somewhere, she had taken the broom and carefully flew up towards them.

"Oh my… Finally, they took long enough"

"That's not the best part Granger…"

The smile in Pansy's lips was scary, both Ron and Draco thought, and what scared them even more was Hermione's matching one.

"Oh please tell me…"

"Longbottom started it… Guess he just got tired of waiting"

Hermione laughed at that, she felt happy for them, Ron who had followed her had an expression of mild disgust.

"Could have lived without that image…"

Hermione looked at Pansy and they just smiled, which actually scared the hell out of Draco, he somehow knew what they were thinking about and that if Ron ever found out he was as good as dead. He knew Ron was barely decent with him because he was friends with Harry, being a couple was something completely different, and he knew that the other boy didn't know or he would have been cornered already.

"Come on, we shouldn't be watching this, is private"

"I agree"

Hermione shook her head at Ron's words and just guided her broom towards the ground, carefully landing and then dismounting. Ron followed and did the same, Draco and Pansy looked one more time and then also left the place. Blaise had stood up and helped Neville to do the same, he looked at the Gryffindor and kissed him again, this time slower and softer, and Neville answered the kiss just the same.

"You were taking too long…"

Blaise laughed softly but didn't let go of the other boy, Neville closed his eyes. There was so much inside, way too many memories from this life and from the past, but even though waking up had completed the link between them, he had already been feeling something more than just friendship for the Slytherin.

"You always took too long, even back then"

"We were not in the best of terms back then… Just after he brought all of us back"

Neville sighed and closed his eyes resting his head over the other boy's shoulder.

"I remember, your escapades… I couldn't leave so easily, he always knew"

"As if it was different with me… Just that shadows tended to help me more than he would have liked…"

Neville laughed, back then it had been a game of who could fool who, they never fooled anyone.

"You are aware they always let us…"

"They did, it's funny though… You're a Gryffindor, I'm a Slytherin…"

"As they are Blaise…"

"It's somehow ironic though, my lord is a Gryffindor, yours a Slytherin…"

They laughed, talk about house unity, if this didn't manage it, nothing would.

-.-.-

"Again, explain it to me Lupin… Why am I here?"

Snape was looking at Sirius and Harry who were sitting in the kitchen and talking softly, each of them had a cup of tea in their hands and from time to time they would laugh.

"Because you're nice like that and because I asked you to…"

"And why did I say yes?"

Remus raised an eyebrow and Snape scowled.

"I came, so you better stay away from my potions Lupin"

At the end Remus had threatened Snape on destroying his experiments if he didn't come with him to Grimmauld place, Harry wanted to come and he couldn't do it alone, and Remus was not going to come alone and get bored while those two talked about who knew what.

"You could very well go and sit with them, you were friends with his father too, didn't you?"

"Yes, but you know perfectly well that they needed to talk alone about last year… Now, be nice and play a game of chess with me"

Snape scowled but sat anyway.

"What for? I'm going to win again Lupin, as I always do"

"Maybe not, I've been practicing"

Snape raised an eyebrow but said nothing, he set the game and they started. He turned to look at the kitchen a moment and then focused in the game again. Harry had raised his eyes and noticed Snape starting a game of chess with Remus and rose and eyebrow confused.

"Sirius… Since when are Remus and Snape so friendly with each other?"

Sirius seemed uncomfortable with that question and Harry noticed, which made him even more suspicious.

"Well, when I came back from the veil, as Remus told you, I was really weak, in the verge of death… I needed a lot of help and most than anything blood-replenish potions and other more complicated to maintain my body while I was cured… I couldn't drink or eat anything and those helped me to get some nutrients in me"

Harry nodded, understanding more or less, but it still didn't get the friendly truce between those two, giving the fact that Sirius still called Snape names and vice versa.

"Remus wouldn't leave me alone, besides, he was the one in charge of the analysis of my body to check for dark magic… They spent a lot of time together, after a few days they started talking and did what none of us tried to do during our time at school, get to know each other for real…"

Harry nodded that made sense, but still the closeness between them was estrange.

"But you two didn't get so close…"

"Well, Remus did nothing wrong to Snape, at least not as bad as I did… To forget and forgive that is not easy. I already apologised but the resentment will always be there… He did his part too, and even though Remus can forgive with a lot less difficulty I'm not like that…"

Harry nodded again, understanding completely, or at least he thought so.

"I know what you did… What my father did and it was awful, I hated you two for that because it came back and bit me in the arse… I'll never forgive Pettigrew though, he betrayed you all. Snape made a huge mistake but Dumbledore trusts in him, if he does then I should too"

"And you took a very good choice there Harry, I don't like Snape not only because of what he did, but also because some other things I don't have the right to tell you… Sorry, maybe he will someday"

Harry shrugged he was used to secrets by now and the kind Sirius was keeping were the kind he didn't mind not knowing. Personal secrets were that, personal, Dumbledore on the other hand had been keeping important secrets to himself and that was what Harry hated. They had been talking lately, he had understood a lot of things he didn't last year, how Voldemort wouldn't die and why he had so much hatred inside him.

"If he believes I should know, he'll tell me, those are his secrets and his burden to bear Sirius…"

Sirius smile had disappeared.

"You're so grown up Harry"

"I had no other choice…"

The man looked down at his cup and turned it a few times.

"Snape agrees with me in that… A child has the right to be one, I'm sorry you had that right taken away from you"

"Don't be, it was not your fault… You can blame Voldemort for that, I'm not the only one who couldn't have one, Neville didn't have one either… His parents are not dead, but in the state they are it's almost the same"

Sirius drank the last of his tea and served himself some more.

"You know… once he's defeated I'll take care of that, you, Neville and your other friends will enjoy some of your childhood, late yes, but it's better than ever don't you think?"

Harry smiled at that and raised his tea cup.

"Cheers for that"

Sirius raised his too and hit it softly against Harry's, a small smile showing in both wizards' faces. They turned suddenly when they heard Remus' voice from the other room.

"You're cheating!"

"I'm very well not Lupin… I told you I would win again"

Sirius and Harry stood up and approached them, just to see a somewhat cranky Remus scowling at the chess board.

"Guess you're the one who taught Draco then"

Snape turned to look at Harry and smiled proudly.

"I take you have played against him then"

"Lasted less than thirty minutes, even though Ron has been teaching me there's just no way I can win against him… You should play against Ron though, that is something I would like to see"

Snape raised an eyebrow, Harry noticed that it was something people did a lot lately.

"Weasley would probably last more than Lupin but I would win at the end"

"You're so full of yourself Snivellus"

Snape actually had the audacity to flip Sirius the bird.

"At least I can use my brain for something more than just deciding what kind of dessert I'll get next… Mutt"

Harry and Remus rolled their eyes and prepared themselves for a full round of sneaky comments from the two men.

-.-.-

Weasley Wizard Wheezes was closed, that in itself was something so out of place that had people speculating, though its owners couldn't care less about what people thought, most of the time.

"Fred, time's getting nearer… We must call them, we must be ready"

Fred looked up from a piece of paper with some drawings on it, a new product in the making but he wasn't really into it.

"We can't call them George, it would be too obvious and even though the wizarding world is used to estrange things they don't know what those are… And those who do, well we don't know to whom they serve…"

George sat opposite his brother and started playing with a self inking quill, Fred continued hoping to find out what to do.

"We can't go looking for them, after the last battle they were sent to their original place probably, we can't close for so long that would rise to many suspicions. People already think is weird we are closed today… I don't want to alert untruthful people"

"Then what?"

"We wait… As we did last time, they will come to us just in the right moment"

"What if they don't?"

Fred didn't understand why George was so insecure, they had earned them and were theirs by right.

"Why do you doubt so much?"

"It abandoned me once…"

"And I stole it the first time, that doesn't mean they are not ours… You redeemed yourself, as well as I did, we finally earned the right to use them"

His twin looked at him and smiled.

"Thanks"

"You're welcome"

-.-.-

In a far place known by wizards as the most secure prison, except of course for those two times people escaped, a man opened his eyes.

"The time has come son… I'll be with you again my lord and serve you faithfully as I did the last time"

His blue eyes had changed but just lightly, they had become a bit darker, reflecting the blue of the sea. He stood up and looked out the small window and waited, for what was his by right would come back and he would protect his lord once again with his life, for not only was he his lord, he was much more.

-.-.-

Number twelve Grimmauld Place, Harry and Remus had gone to the kitchen to prepare something to eat, getting tired of the childish tirade the 'adults' in the living room still kept going.

"What was the longest they lasted?"

"It depends if you're talking about school time or present times"

"Present times, those are not as aggressive as it used to be"

Remus frowned a little thinking about it.

"A month ago, they lasted three hours and a half, and that was only because Moody and I wanted to get some rest and those two wouldn't let us..."

Harry barely had time to swallow his tea, or he would have spilled it all over the werewolf.

"What did you do?"

"I sent a petrificus totallus at Snape and Moody stunned Sirius… We levitated them to the couches and left them there… They weren't happy, especially Snape, he was petrified but awake"

Harry laughed hard, which did nothing to stop the other two.

"I could use your head to lubricate my bike!"

"Which would be the only thing you would be lubricating since a long time, or riding"

Well, that was something Remus would not permit, even less if it came from his lover.

"That's IT! You two, stop right now or I'll hex you to next month!"

Sirius and Snape stopped at once and said nothing, but Harry was impressed he didn't know Remus could control those two so easily.

"Wow… Teach me to do that!"

He said looking at Remus hopefully.

"Luckily for you Harry, I can't…"

He turned his eyes towards him and made them change colour to a golden one.

"Oh…"

"Yes Potter… Oh"

Snape looked at Remus and raised an eyebrow.

"I need to go back Lupin…"

Remus sighed, he knew Snape had to go, there were some potions he needed to take care of.

"Go then, I'll take Harry back later"

Snape saluted with his head and then left quickly, Sirius had sat on the couch and Remus stood next to Harry.

"Hey, would it be too much of a problem if you two went with me to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

Sirius' smile faded and Remus sighed sadly.

"I could go with you Harry, but Sirius can't leave the house unless going to Hogwarts through floo… People may recognise him even as a dog, remember he was spotted once by Death Eaters. And remember that some people think he's dead"

Harry's smile had disappeared too, he hated not having the chance to spend some quality time with his godfather.

"I wanted to buy Christmas presents thought you could help me with those"

Harry sat down on the sofa and sighed.

"By the way, can I tell Ron and Hermione you're alive? Draco too if you don't mind of course"

"I think you could, at least to Ron and Hermione, Malfoy is different he's the son of a Death Eater Harry. He may have come to the light side but if Voldemort get a hold of him he won't be able to keep it a secret"

Harry frowned, Sirius was right it was risky but he felt it was unfair not telling him.

"There's something you should know… I wasn't going to tell anyone yet but you are my godfather and you Remus are also part of my family…"

Sirius raised an eyebrow but Remus looked at him knowingly, he had seen Harry and Draco lately and the scent those two carried told him more than a thousand words.

"I… Well, you know Draco and I are friends… God this is difficult"

Remus decided to help him, even if they would still have to explain it to Sirius.

"Harry, I know"

The boy's head turned so fast that his bones sounded clearly, making both Sirius and Remus wince.

"You… you know? Why, how?!"

Remus just tapped his nose lightly and Harry understood, letting his head fall down.

"Should have known"

"If you two would be so kind to enlighten me I would appreciate it"

Harry looked at Remus and he nodded.

"Harry and Draco have been dating these last few weeks Sirius"

Harry buried his face in his hands and sighed more heavily this time.

"You… WHAT?!"

"Draco and I are a couple… Please don get mad"

Sirius had to bit his tongue not say anything he would regret later.

"I'm not mad Harry, I know Sirius isn't either… It's just a bit shocking"

Remus felt really bad, he had no right to tell him anything, after all he also was dating a Slytherin he was supposed to hate.

"Harry… I'm not mad, but please try to understand me, Malfoy is not someone I can trust"

Harry looked up giving Sirius an accusing look.

"And there you have this extremely weird friendship with Snape, you too Remus…"

He had them and they knew it.

"Ok, I don't have the right to tell you anything… But it is still shocking, last I knew you liked girls Harry"

Harry snorted and let his head fall back.

"Just say that I never had very good experiences with those, Cho only managed to make me more angry about the whole Cedric ordeal, I already felt bad enough without her reminding me. Parvati seemed to like being looked at because she was with me, Ginny, well she's nice and all but she's Ron's sister and I would like to live long enough to actually kill Voldemort… And others, well I actually found myself looking more at Seamus and Dean than the girls in my year"

Sirius wanted to laugh but stopped himself in time, Remus sighed and sat next to Harry.

"You can laugh if you want Sirius, the more I think about it the more I want to laugh too"

"But Harry… Why Malfoy? You said you had been looking more at other guys, what did he have that the others don't?"

Harry looked down, it was complicated but the truth.

"He understand me, he doesn't ask too many questions or doesn't get angry if I don't want to answer them… He's not after the golden boy, he hates him as much as I do… He won't hesitate on telling me the truth and… Well, he could heard me, no one else could but he did"

They didn't need more explanations, they knew what he was talking about and they just understood.

"I still don't like him though Harry, Snape saved my life, the Malfoys tried to take it away form me"

"I know, but I want you to understand something Sirius… The same way I'm not James Potter, Draco is not Lucius Malfoy"

That did it, both men felt guilty, they had done it again and judged the son for the sins of the father.

"I'm sorry then… And if he's the one who makes you happy and you trust him so much, then you can tell him Harry"

"Thank you Sirius"

Remus stayed silent, he just smiled and with a nod let Harry know he thought the same as Sirius.

"You too Remus…"

-.-.-

It was late and Draco was pacing in the Room of Requirement, he knew Harry had gone with Remus somewhere but it was late and he wanted to talk with him before going back to the dungeons. He finally heard the door and turned to look at it with a murderous glare, which turned even more murderous when he saw Ron and Hermione walking in with Harry.

"Before you say anything Draco I need you to hear me out ok?"

He nodded and sat on the couch, there was no bed since he had to go back to his house. Hermione and Ron did the same and waited for Harry to serve some tea to them.

"There's something important I need to tell the three of you, but first I want you to promise me you'll keep this to yourselves. This is extremely important, what I'm about to tell you must not leave this room"

They were worried now, whatever he wanted to say was big and Ron felt the need to warn him about Draco, but stayed silent, if Harry decided Draco could know then no matter he said he would do it anyway. If he said something against Draco they would argue and it would be a problem. The three promised and Harry cast a silencing charm around them, just in case.

"A few days ago I went to talk to Remus and Snape at his office, what I found out there made want to hex the daylights out of them, for lying to me… After hearing all they had to say and the words from someone else I managed to calm down… You three know how Sirius died back then at the ministry, how Remus told me he would never come back, that there was nothing I could do…"

The other three were starting to get scared and Hermione finally said it.

"Harry, you're scaring me…"

"There's nothing to be scared of Hermione… Actually you'll be happy, I think"

He said with a smile on his face.

"Sirius is alive…"

"WHAT?!"

Three voices said at the same time.

"The day I went to Snape's office was because they wanted to tell me, I got really angry, felt betrayed again and wanted to actually hurt them… But they explained, Sirius shouldn't be alive, he came back from the veil so weak that he was more of a corpse than a living being"

"Was it dark magic?"

Harry shook his head, Hermione had though the same way others had and he was glad she was so rational about things, or he probably would be dead by now.

"That's what everyone thought, and the reason they didn't tell me"

"They needed to check him for dark spells or curses… And also helping him to get better too"

Harry nodded at Draco and smiled at him.

"Yes, Snape and Remus spent the most part of summer with him at St. Mungo's, he needed a lot of potions and no one apart from Snape, Remus and some other people of the order stayed with him. It was extremely important that very few people knew about him… They still don't know why is he alive, but there are no curses on him"

Ron reached for his cup wishing it had some kind of liquor in it, he found to his pleasure that the room had provided it. After drinking a zip of his cup he looked at Harry.

"How did he come back?"

"Remus told me he had stayed back, he was really affected by his death and wanted to stay a little bit longer… I was back at the school with Dumbledore and so he was completely alone in there. It was then that happened, the whole room started shaking and Sirius was sent flying out form the veil, Remus barely had time to catch him"

"It must have been quite scaring"

"It was Hermione… At least that's what he said, he was shocked and alone… After he recovered he contacted Snape and Moody, they helped him to take Sirius to St. Mungo's"

Draco was drinking silently, thinking in all the life and death curses he could think about but none had this effect.

"You went to visit him today, didn't you? That's why I saw Lupin and Severus going too… Is he alright?"

Harry nodded once again, and smiled softly Hermione knew what was that smile about, Ron only thought he smiled because he had been with Sirius.

"Yes, he's much better now that he can eat three meals a day and can rest comfortably. Bill has been making him some company, since he's been working in Gringotts he's staying with him"

Draco nodded and took a sip of his tea, he couldn't be mad with Harry now he knew all of this. After everything Harry had gone through knowing that the catalyst of all that was not dead, well it must have been quite shocking and tiring.

"Bill's staying with him?"

"Yes, it seems that his relationship with Fleur didn't work out…"

Hermione had heard something about it but never actually asked anything, since that was something that only mattered to Ron's family.

"No, it didn't… They are still friends though, just say that Bill has finally decided what he really likes"

"What do you mean?"

"Bill always thought he was bisexual, he finally decided he's completely gay"

Hermione and Harry were looking at Ron with a face of complete incredulity.

"But… But they looked made for each other!"

"They looked fine together"

Draco sighed and poured himself more tea.

"Sometimes things are not what they appear to be Harry… They may have looked fine together, but what went inside his mind was something completely different… Take you for example, you thought that being with Chang was what was right, that you would be good together, at the end it just wasn't"

Even thought it pained him Ron had to agree with that.

"Damn, he's right Harry… Bill thought being with Fleur was the right thing, but as I see it, he just was trying to deny what he really was"

They stayed silent for a while, Harry understood quite well he always thought he was meant to be with a girl and finally settle down and have a family, but it wasn't because what felt right was being with Draco.

"Then I wish him luck, no matter what you like you have the right to be happy"

"I hope that too, he was devastated when he finally understood that he couldn't keep going on with it… I think he's still apologising to Fleur, even though she already forgave him"

Hermione nodded as well as Draco, the latter finally put his cup back on the table and stood up.

"I have to go now, I **am** a prefect, and should be doing my job"

"We should too Ron"

They also stood up and stretched a bit, Hermione got close to Harry and embraced him.

"I'm happy he's alive Harry, now that there are witnesses I'm sure he'll be cleared of all his charges"

"I'm happy too mate, it's good to have him back"

Harry nodded and smiled at them.

"Yes, but remember, no one else can know about this at least not until they manage to find the reason behind his revival"

"Don't worry mate, we won't say a word… See you later!"

Hermione also said good bye and they both left, leaving Harry and Draco alone. Harry closed the door and leaned against it.

"Don't go"

"I have to, Severus already scolded me for neglecting my duties"

But Harry didn't move from his place.

"Then please come back… I don't want to be alone tonight"

Draco approached him slowly and caressed his cheek.

"Then I'll be back, just wait here and as soon as I finish I'll be right back ok?"

Harry embraced him tightly and hid his face on Draco's hair.

"We're meant to be together, right?"

Draco smiled and embraced him back.

"Yes Harry, we are"

Harry took his face and kissed him softly, letting himself be drowned in the scent that was Draco, he had finally decided that he wanted to live near the sea, because that was Draco's scent.

"I really have to go Harry"

He didn't want to let go, but didn't want to put Draco in troubles so reluctantly released him.

"I'll be waiting"

"I know"

Draco gave him one last kiss and then pushed Harry aside to open the door and left quickly.

-.-.-

Draco went back to the dungeons and started doing his rounds, almost everyone in his house had already gone to sleep, except for some sixth and seventh years. Sirius' return was nagging him because he knew he would have to share Harry with someone else, and that thought annoyed him because he shouldn't be thinking it.

_Damn, I blame you Lucius for this!_

He scowled and kept walking, he knew Harry wouldn't like it if he started acting all jealous and especially of Sirius Black, but he couldn't help it for Harry's relationship with Sirius was deep and they would always share things he would never be part of.

"Damn dog…"

He said in a low voice, but giving the fact that it was night and there was complete silence he was heard.

"Hope you're not talking about Sir- about him, Malfoy"

Draco turned around with his wand lifted towards the source of the voice, he saw Hermione and was thankful she was alone, he was sure Ron wouldn't have let him in peace. He also noticed her slip and correction, they would need a way to call the man without using his name

"Erm… I kind of was"

His relationship with Hermione was easier than with Ron, she was more prone to talk and get to know each other, Ron was as polite as he could but never wanted to do more than that.

"And what, if I may ask, did he do to you?"

"You may ask, doesn't mean I will answer Granger"

She laughed softly and approached him a little.

"Come on Malfoy, who do you think you're trying to fool?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and snarled.

"I won't answer anyway"

"Then I'll answer it for you… Lets see, you have been spending a lot of time with Harry lately, and now that He has suddenly appeared you feel he'll take Harry away from you… Am I right?"

"Actually, you're wrong… I know he'll want to spend more time with him and I don't blame him…"

He stopped himself, why was he saying this to her?

"I'm not talking to you anymore… Good night Granger"

She stopped him by the arm and looked at him with a very serious expression.

"I know you like him Malfoy, I know you two want to keep it secret and just to let you know, it's not really a secret when everyone else has already noticed… Except Ron that is, he's just too dense to notice that"

He looked at her surprised, this was not something he wanted to discuss with Hermione.

"Good then, let it be that way and leave me alone Granger… I know you all think I'm not good for him and all that crap but you know what? I'm the best you'll ever find for him, like it or not. We work perfectly with each other, and just so you know some people think he's **not** the one for me, that he's **not** good enough… I'm not perfect but I'm not a monster, he's not a saint and definitely not your hero"

She was taken aback, from all the things he could have told her that was not what she was expecting.

"And one last thing…"

He got very close to her and spoke to her ear.

"I don't like him… I **love** him"

With that he turned around and left her standing in the middle of the hallway. She stood there till someone tapped he shoulder lightly, she turned quickly and saw Ron next to her with a worried expression.

"Is everything alright Hermione?"

"What? Oh, yes, yes… Everything's ok, I just saw something weird, but it was nothing"

Ron raised an eyebrow but didn't have the time to ask anything as she pulled him away to go back to their common room. Draco let his head fall against the stone wall and closed his eyes.

"Draco, shouldn't you be doing your rounds?"

He opened his eyes and saw his head of house, Snape was looking at him not with an angry face but a worried one.

"Come with me Draco, I want you to see something"

He nodded and followed him silently; he never expected what he found when he opened the door to Snape's office, his uncle and the defence teacher were inside drinking tea and looking at a chess game.

"Severus… Why?"

Both men turned their attention to the newcomers, Remus smiled but Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Merlin, you look exactly like your father… I pity you"

"Sirus!"

"Black!"

"Nice to hear your name called like that, isn't it? It has a certain echo that gives it more importance"

He laughed not caring about the murderous looks he was being sent, Draco on the other hand didn't know what to do. There was the man he wanted as far away as he could, but also the one who gave Harry so much peace of mind.

"Erm…"

"So eloquent, and you said he was intelligent Snivellus"

"Hey! At least my parents love me"

"Touché… You're not that bad boy"

Snape gritted his teeth and Remus sighed, but they stayed silent, Draco sat down in sofa and looked at the game.

"And I don't suck at chess either…"

Snape snorted a laugh and Remus his smile behind a hand, Sirius raised and eyebrow and moved another piece, Remus moved his queen and smiled in triumph.

"Check mate"

"See?"

Sirius sighed and turned to look at Draco.

"So, you say you are in love with my godson, don't you?"

Draco turned a deep shade of red and looked down, Snape sat down next to him on the sofa and waited for him to say something.

"Subtlety is not your forte is it?"

"I think being direct is the best approach"

"And one that gets you killed mutt"

Sirius actually stuck out his tongue to Snape.

"Oh, very mature of you flea bag"

Draco looked at this astonished to see his head of house act like that, Remus sighed and ignored them.

"Malfoy, are you aware of what means being with Harry?"

"It depends of the situation I think… Voldemort wants him dead, Weasley doesn't know yet but he will be very mad once he knows, I'll have my uncle watch my every move… I'll probably have to fight my father, giving the fact that I'm fighting at Harry's side… So yes, I think I know what it means being with him"

The other two had fell silent, hearing what he had to say, Remus smiled as well as Snape, though Sirius was still scowling.

"You're a Slytherin, your kind tends to first think about themselves than others, what tells me that you won't abandon Harry when he needs you the most?"

"Severus is also a Slytherin, and he has never run from battle… Blaise would gladly give his life for Longbottom's, you as well as most of the other houses tend to think that Slytherins care for no one except themselves, for none of you have ever wanted to really meet one of us… And those who have done it, have been declared insane or the rest have done whatever possible to make them see 'the light'. As Harry said once, we are not saints we did our part but we have been outsiders even before Voldemort was even born… Salazar Slytherin does not represent all of us, he was his own person we are ours, we can decide and think for ourselves and that's why most of my house is supporting your cause, going against his parents and knowing they will be left with nothing but what they are wearing right now"

Well, that shut them up, Snape was looking at his own godson proudly Draco was looking at Sirius right in the eyes daring him to say something against his words. If he was going to fight for his rights to be with Harry so be it and he would not lower his face, nor would he let the others make him feel that was not right for Harry.

"And if you need more proof, there's Pettigrew, he was a Gryffindor he was supposed to be brave and faithful… He was supposed to put his life on the line for those he cared for, some Death Eaters are not from Slytherin, you are not what your house makes of you, you're what you make of yourself… Uncle"

Remus looked at the other two and smiled.

"Dumbledore once told me that he always thought the sorting should be done later, at third year maybe…"

"I don't blame him for thinking that"

Draco sat up and approached Sirius and against what they all could have expected from him he embraced the man.

"I'm glad you're back…"

He let him go a second later and looked at him in the eye.

"Not for you, but for how much happy you have made him"

He walked to the door and opened it.

"Now if you excuse me I must go"

With that he left, closing the door behind him, leaving two shocked wizards and one proud potions master.

**TBC**

Well, another long chapter and another I hope you have liked, thank to you all for your nice reviews and for choosing my fic as a favourite and for your alert lists.

I'm taking longer to update because the chapters may start getting longer and well, basically because I do have a life out there XD

I'll be waiting for your reviews people! See ya!


	9. Chapter 09

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. Though, after reading Deathly Hallows I've decided to keep some facts about them, so **from chapter 8 onwards the fic may contain spoilers.**

**AWAKENINGS**

Chapter 9

Draco went back to Harry, but stopped right out of the door to the Room of Requirement when he heard a voice coming from it.

_No, it cannot be! He had not shown his presence since a few weeks now!_

"Then leave me alone! Sirius is back you don't have anything to do here anymore!"

And for the first time since he had seen those sides of Harry he heard a difference between the voices, he approached the door very carefully to look inside and what he saw shocked him. Harry was talking to a mirror, and it was the mirror who was answering.

"You still don't get do you? **You** created **me**, if I stop existing you will too… That was the reason you said you would destroy me, because you knew you would have to die"

"You are the one who doesn't get it, no one likes you, they all want you out but you keep insisting… There's nothing for you here anymore, just leave!"

Harry had his wand in his hand but was not pointing the mirror, Draco stayed there he could perfectly stop Harry from doing anything in less than a second. So he stayed still, waiting for the end of this fight.

"I can't! And believe me when I say that I **want** to! You need me and even though I hate to admit it I need you too, we are one!"

Draco started thinking, maybe they all were wrong, maybe it was not another persona living inside Harry. Maybe it was something more complicated but less troublesome to fix.

"I can't accept that, you're hideous and hold no respect for anyone or anything! You think that the only one that matters is you! My mother didn't die to protect such a bastard!"

"And thus I'm here Harry, I am you and you are me… You need me to stay focused"

It was then that Draco entered the room.

"And you need him to be more human, for neither can live without the other…"

Both Harrys turned to look at the blonde, he was smirking but it had not that sneering expression to it.

"Draco…"

"Please no, you two make me want to puke"

Draco's smirk widened at those words and embracing Harry he gave him a deep and hot kiss, grabbing the other boy's bottom to emphasize his point. Harry answered with the same passion and when they let go both had that dreamy expression on their faces.

"I'll get cavities…"

Draco turned to look at the 'reflection' and smirked now showing the sneering expression.

"Tell me Potter, that is because you are homophobic or because you want it too but can not get it? Because I'm sure is the second option"

"Neither it's because it makes you weak"

It was the last thing Draco needed to be sure, he finally knew what this other part of Harry was after all.

"A soldier can't be weak isn't Potter? A Soldier can't love because that will distract him from his duties?"

Harry didn't really understand what was happening, but if there's something he was sure was that he was not weak for loving Draco.

"You're wrong, love doesn't make you weak, it makes you stronger… I've survived all this time because of love, because my mother's love"

"You're desperate Potter, because now that Harry has recovered part of the love he thought lost you have less and less strength to keep living as separate being"

"I'm not weak!"

Draco smiled this time, not smirked or sneered, just smiled gently to that other part of the man he loved.

"You're not weak, you just can't understand what is not war related… So, if you want to understand then go back to what you really are, the part of Harry that keeps him focused on battle. You were born with Voldemort, every time he has attacked Harry you became stronger and Harry trained you without knowing it… Every time he trained to become a better duellist he trained you, every little thing he has done to become stronger to defeat Voldemort has given you more strength, but you will never be more than a part of a whole called Harry James Potter"

"I am the real one! I'm **not** just a fragment of another person!"

Draco would have to ask for help, Snape would know what to do, he knew the ways of the mind and would know how to make that stubborn soldier go back to the place it belonged.

"Leave now Potter, of your own free will or I'll crash this mirror into tiny little pieces…"

The mirror disappeared and Harry sighed loudly, and a bit confused.

"Draco, if he has to become a part of me… Does that mean I'll change somehow? Will you stop being with me because I'm not the same anymore?"

Draco looked at him with a face of 'are you stupid?' that actually made him smile.

"Let me show you how much I won't like you"

Draco threw him onto the bed and straddled him, he opened Harry's robes and slowly opened the shirt, one button at time.

"You see Harry, I'm so stupid that I will run away in the exact moment he finally gets back to his rightful place… Your seemingly utterly stupid mind"

Once the shirt was opened Draco stared at Harry's chest, it was not smooth and pale as a lot of people thought. No Harry's chest was tanned, and had some scars on it, he would ask him about those later, for the moment Draco entertained himself caressing all the small scars he saw there.

"Because I'm stupid like that, you see?"

He leaned down and kissed him softly on the lips, to then start going down his neck and chest, kissing biting and licking the scars. Harry moaned, he was aroused and could feel Draco's erection on his tight, but he wasn't sure this was correct, not so soon.

"And of course, who would want to be with someone like you? I mean, handsome, intelligent, a bit reckless but you're a Gryffindor so there's not much you can do about it. Brave and scheming at the same time… Nice and forgiving, and a lot of other things I won't say or you'll get all arrogant and I know that's not good"

"Draco…"

He had closed his eyes and was about to let Draco do whatever he wanted when he finally reacted and pushed the blonde off himself.

"No please… I don't think"

"Oh no, Harry James Potter… You won't leave me like this"

And this time instead of him straddling Harry's hips, Draco had pulled Harry over him.

"We don't have to go all the way, I'm not ready for that either… But-"

Harry understood, and he nodded smiling at his lover, he opened his robes and shirt and started doing the same Draco had been doing to him. He caressed his chest and kissed him softly, his hands going down lightly causing shivers go down Draco's spine.

"Ah, Harry…"

His moans awakened something inside the Gryffindor and he gave Draco a deep kiss and pushed his hips against the Slytherin's, both boys moaned in unison. He undid Draco's belt and opened his pants, meanwhile the blonde's hands explored the back of his lover. Trembling hands went up the chest to play with erected nipples as other pair of hands unbuttoned Harry's pants. They touched each other gently, taking their clothes slowly and discovering their bodies at the same time. Each moan and sigh produced something new in their skins and their hearts.

"Lift you hips"

His voice a whisper, Draco did as Harry asked and soon his pants and underwear were off, he helped his lover to get his pants off too and now that they both were completely naked they stopped. They wouldn't say a word because their eyes said everything they wanted to express. Finally they started to pleasure each other, gently at first and gaining speed as they went.

"God, Draco"

The serpent kissed him deeply, embracing him with one hand while Harry held him by his shoulders, during their movements they had sat up and were kneeling on the bed. They kissed all they could reach in that position and finally, when they knew they were about to finish they kissed deeply, moaning in their mouths and holding each other tightly. Harry let go of Draco and embraced him with both arms, their bodies still trembling by the strength of their first time.

"I love you"

"I love you too Draco"

Draco had let go of him too and also embraced him, feeling the warm skin against his; their breaths were heavy and ragged. Exhaustion took over their bodies and they fell over the bed panting.

"We should get a shower…"

"On't wan'a"

Draco laughed and lifted Harry's body off of him, he sat on the bed and looked at the dazed look his lover had. A feeling so strong invaded him that he almost collapsed, something he felt he had known for ages but had forgotten. He shook his head to clear his mind and grabbed one of Harry's hands.

"Come on, if we stay like this we'll be all sticky in the morning…"

Reluctantly Harry let Draco guide him to the bathroom, they took a quick shower, not touching each other or they would start again, and it was already too late. Even though next day was Saturday Draco should go early, even though the school seemed to know they were together they had no made it official and they preferred it that way. Draco dried himself and headed to the room, took only the pants of both sets of pyjamas and went back to the bathroom. Winter had come already but the room provided them of a nice fire and even though there was a window the room remained warm.

"Thank you…"

Harry smiled at Draco, and took his pants, pulling them up and then using his wand to dry his hair. Draco did the same and then washed his teeth. Once they were finished they want back to the room, they wouldn't talk because words were not needed. The feeling that invaded them was enough for them. They got in the bed and Harry let Draco rest his head over his chest, he embraced his snake and with a nox he turned the lights off.

"Good night Draco"

"Good night Harry"

-.-.-

Three girls, of three different houses woke up suddenly, they smiled widely and let their bodies lay back on their beds. The snake couldn't believe it actually, it was so ironic that when the moment came and her brother woke up, even he would be laughing at the irony. The lioness was worried, for she knew the events from the past would be prone to repeat again. And the eagle just stared up, at the glowing stars on her bed's ceiling, wondering if this time they all would have the chance to live a peaceful life.

-.-.-

It had been two weeks of intense training, Harry now knew a lot more about Voldemort and how he would have to destroy him. It would be difficult and he didn't really know how he would be about to achieve it, but if he didn't Voldemort would never be destroyed. As he saw it, his mission was almost impossible to complete; Dumbledore still had some secrets and he hated that, because he was sure those secrets were vital to win the war. He also wanted to ask about Dumbledore's blackened hand, he knew it had something to do with the objects he had to look for, the horcruxes.

_Maybe Snape knows something about it, the problem is that I doubt he'll tell me something._

He was in his way to the dungeons, for another round of occlumency classes he had finally managed to keep Voldemort out of his mind, but also wanted to learn to know the difference between a real vision and something made up by Tom. He reached Snape's office and knocked twice, the door soon opened and he entered.

"Good night professor"

"Good night Potter…"

He took his place but held his hand before sitting down on the chair and let Snape start.

"Yes Potter?"

"I want to ask you a favour professor… I want you to teach me to see the difference between a real vision and a fake, I think this connection could be useful to a point"

Straight to the point, he really needed to learn that, because he saw in it the possibilities to know where the horcruxes where. Snape didn't like the idea though, if there was something he was sure of it was that no one would want to be inside Voldemort's mind.

"I do not think that is safe Potter… Why would you want to see what he sees?"

"Because I need to know some things you'll never be able to know… Things that Riddle doesn't want anyone to know about"

Snape's eyes opened wide, he remembered his talk with Dumbledore perfectly and the look in Harry's eyes told him this had something to do with it.

"The works of the mind are almost impossible to understand Potter, sometimes you don't know when you are dreaming and when are you awake…"

"And that's why I want you to teach me… Professor, you know the human mind better than most, I know you can help me. If I want to defeat him I really need to get a peek of his real thoughts"

_And if possible his fears…_

Snape frowned, but knew Harry had a point, however this was not an easy task for a boy like him. Harry had just started to understand the basics of occlumency, to learn the ways of the mind and know the difference between real and fake was just too advanced.

"Potter, you just managed to dominate occlumency completely… What you are asking me to teach you is a higher level of mind manipulation, if you want to manage that you will have to practice with me everyday, almost every free time you have, and considering you schedule, I don't think that will be possible"

"I can manage professor, I can find a moment everyday to come and learn… But please understand that I **need** to know how"

Snape narrowed his eyes, this persistence was scaring when it came from Harry.

"If you want my help in that, then I need to know the real reason… To train you I'll have to open my own mind to you, let you see my life first hand… I am sure you are aware of how much that means"

Harry stayed silent, he hadn't thought of that. He was basically asking Snape to trust him with all his memories, his secrets and fears.

"I'm sorry… I didn't think about that"

He let himself fall on the chair and his face fell down.

"Clearly, so you will understand that I have all the right to **know** your reasons to ask me something like **that**"

"I must talk with Dumbledore then, I don't know if I should tell others about this…"

Snape nodded and took his place in front of Harry.

"Then we will keep training until you know"

Harry nodded and raised his head, so Snape could look at his eyes and fire his attack. Harry was prepared and fought the intrusion, Snape had only got a small pick of something he could have lived without knowing.

"Those are things I'll beg you to put into the pensive Potter… That's my **godson**, for Merlin's sake!"

At least Harry had the decency to look down and blush deep, he stood up and approached the pensive putting his memory of that night in the Room of Requirement into it. He went back to his place but didn't sat, if someone wanted to attack him they wouldn't wait for him to take seat. Snape attacked again and could not see anything before Harry pushed him out, they continued that way for another two hours before calling it a night.

"Go get some rest Potter, and I mean **rest**, so go back to **your** tower and sleep in **your** bed in **Gryffindor**"

Harry's cheeks were red and he just nodded.

"Good night professor"

"Good night Potter"

With that he left the office and the Dungeons, it was still before curfew and in his way towards Gryffindor and an essay about transfiguration, someone caught him.

"Potter… I need a word with you"

Harry found himself face to face with Blaise Zabini, the boy was serious but not menacing. He clearly wanted to talk something with him that needed to be in private, so Harry pulled him to an unused classroom and closed the door.

"Something wrong Zabini?"

"No, everything is alright…"

Blaise's attitude confused him, the boy looked nervous of being in his presence but as far as Harry knew there was no need for that.

"Then why are you so nervous?"

Blaise felt like kneeling in front of him and looking down every time he said something, and was grateful Harry didn't really notice.

"Erm, actually I wanted to ask you to help me… Christmas is in one week and I still don't know what to get for Neville, I thought that maybe you could help me there"

Harry raised an eyebrow, he didn't see why would the boy be so nervous if that was all.

"I would gladly help you Zabini… If you help me too of course, I kind of have the same problem with Draco"

"Yes of course!"

Harry was worried now, this behaviour was definitely not usual on the handsome boy.

"Hey, are you really ok?"

He got closer and put his hand over his shoulder, a motion that clearly didn't help at all, for Blasie in less that a second had kneeled in one knee and lowered his face. Harry didn't saw it as what it really meant, the total submission the boy was giving him. He actually thought Blaise was ill.

"Zabini! Come on, tell me what's wrong… I think you should go to the infirmary, if something happens to you while you're with me Neville and Draco will kill me!"

Harry put his hand on Blaise's forehead to see if there was fever but felt nothing except the tremor that affected him.

"I'm ok, don't worry… Just please don't tell Draco, I'm going to be ok I'm not sick… Please, I beg you… leave"

And in a voice so low that was more a whisper than a word, he said _master._ Harry didn't understand, he was worried but also didn't know the ways of the Slytherins. If Blaise said he was ok should he believe him or should he walk him to the infirmary anyways? He finally took his decision, he would take the boy to the infirmary.

"I won't let you here in this state… You're coming with me to the infirmary and let Madame Pomfrey take a look at you… Now, come with me!"

It was as if something was moving his body, that was an order and he couldn't deny him anything. So he stood up, still shaking and let Harry guide him to the infirmary. Blasie had to bit his lip so he wouldn't say master again, it was not time yet.

"Harry?"

They turned and saw Neville, Blaise felt relieved but couldn't stop his reactions, Harry was still touching him, that shouldn't happen. Neville noticed Blasie and ran towards them.

"Blaise!"

He was worried, but not for what Harry thought, no, Neville didn't think Blaise was sick, he knew Blasie had something else.

"I don't know what happened to him Neville! He just, fell down!"

"I'm ok…"

Neville approached then and took Blaise away from Harry's support and body, Blaise seemed to get a bit more of his composure after that, but he still was trembling.

"I'll take him from here Harry, thank you"

"Are you sure he'll be alright?"

Neville nodded, he was nervous but could face him without so many problems. He knew who he was in front of, but he was not his master that was other and he should better get ready to meet him.

"Don't worry Harry, he'll be perfectly fine… You should go back before curfew starts, I'll ask Madame Pomfrey to give me a note or something ok?"

"Ok… Take care Zabini!"

"Yes… Thank you"

With that and before Harry could ask any more question they left, the lion was confused but knew that Neville could take care of the other boy. He looked at them once again and took the stairs to Gryffindor tower.

-.-.-

Once they were sure Harry was out of sight or hearing range Neville finally scolded the other boy.

"Are you insane?! He doesn't even know and you approach him?!"

Blasie looked ashamed, he knew he should have waited longer, that his own awakening was too fresh and that his mind and body would react instinctively.

"I'm sorry Neville… I just needed his help. He's the only Gryffindor I know more than you…"

Neville seemed to understand, for he had wanted to ask Draco the same favour but knew he at least had a choice. Pansy had helped him before he risked being in the same state Blaise was.

"Blaise, you're an idiot"

"Thank you"

Neville hit him in the head for his efforts, sarcasm was not welcomed Blaise noted for himself.

"Go ask Hermione if you need help with Gryffindor stuff… Believe me, even if you could approach Harry, he's not the best of choices when it comes to these kind of things"

Neville was smiling, if Blaise wanted to surprise him it was already too late.

"You're no fun Nev"

"You're just too obvious, going for Harry of all people, that was as direct as asking me…"

Blasie frowned but it didn't last long as Neville embraced him and rested his head in his chest, it was past curfew already, but they still had some time before people got out, and he knew Hermione and Ron wouldn't tell him anything, or that Draco and Pansy would tell Blasie something.

_Well, maybe Pansy will taunt him but he deserves it_

Thankfully Blasie didn't see his evil smile, the Slytherin pushed Neville away a bit to kiss him softly before letting him go completely.

"We should go back"

"Or Hermione and Pansy will have too much entertainment…"

They both laughed at that and with a last kiss they parted each to different ways.

-.-.-

Harry was waiting, Dumbledore seemed to be pondering the cons and pros of telling someone else.

"Harry, if by any chance Tom manages to get into Severus' mind then he's as good as dead. The horcruxes are the base of his immortality and he will kill whoever knows about them, for they are risk to his life…"

"I know headmaster, but I need to get into Voldemort's mind to get an idea of where the rest of the horcruxes may be"

Dumbledore nodded understanding Harry's reasoning, he poured more tea for the both of them and offered some cookies, which Harry declined politely.

"My boy, I know this task is not easy but there is no other choice… If those are not destroyed then Tom will never be defeated. Are you sure you can not do it without getting into his mind?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to take the risk of him moving them…"

"He won't move them, he believes that the place he choose is the best and will never be found"

"That's why I really need to get into his mind, lately he has not tried to get into mine and I don't know why that might be"

Dumbledore frowned, he knew Voldemort better than most and that was something unusual, maybe Harry was right and he should let Snape know about his new task.

"Harry, Severus' life will be in danger, even more than before… You must try to find these objects before Tom decides to investigate his followers' minds. And be careful, don't let him know you're there or he'll try to harm you"

"That's why I need professor Snape to help me, I need to know when is an illusion and when is real"

"That's not an easy task Harry, the mind is the most complex thing in this world, everything else has been created by it… This will be a battle of the strongest mind, of who has the most strength of will not to fall into the traps of the other"

Harry thought about it, as he analyzed it he understood that he would have the upper hand.

"Then Voldemort better gets ready… For I don't want to manipulate his mind, only see through his eyes"

Dumbledore smiled, Harry had got the main point of the problem, and if he went under Snape's teaching then he would not have any problem.

"Harry, please tell Severus to be careful, he must not leave this place with his memories in his mind… You will have to get your memories back into your mind"

"I was hoping to leave them just where they were"

"Harry, one should never forget his past or he would be condemned to repeat it. Most important is that your past experiences, good or bad, are what makes you the man you are now. Learn from them, use them to be a better person everyday… Tom did what he did because he wanted to leave his past behind and forget it completely, if he had embraced his past, if he had learned from it maybe he wouldn't be what he is now. He has erased what he truly was, he loathed his muggle part and didn't want to know anything about it, maybe if he had then he would have used his power to do something good"

"But I just want to leave the bad parts behind, my relatives abuse and… Well, other things I don't want to talk about… As I see it, the way they treated me should be enough to want to erase muggles from the face of earth, but I don't want to do that, I know not all muggles are that way"

Dumbledore smiled at those words, they showed him that Harry, even though he was already a man, still had some part of a child inside.

"Which shows you how much important those memories are, you managed to grow without hate, no matter how much they mistreated you, you still believe in the good of people"

"Well, they might have been abusive with me, they didn't understand… But I don't think they are bad per se, just ignorant… Thought, I still don't understand my aunt's dislike, her sister was a witch after all, she should have been used to it"

Dumbledore's smile faded a little, and Harry understood that the man knew the reasons behind her hate.

"Sometimes people just can't be happy with what they have Harry… I'm sure you'll know someday, but I don't think I'm the right one to tell you the whole story"

"Sometimes I wish you just stopped being so melodramatic and just told me what I need to know right away Headmaster"

Dumbledore was taken back, he noticed the change and knew those harsh words were not completely Harry's. He didn't know how to proceed, this was Harry but at the same time he was not.

"Who are you young man?"

"I am what you created of me headmaster, I am Harry Potter the boy who lived… And if you'll excuse me, I shall go to attend other matters"

Dumbledore could do nothing just see how the Golden Boy stood up and left the office.

"What… Have we done?"

-.-.-

The Golden Boy went downstairs and abandoned the castle, for once he had the chance to do as he pleased. No one knew he had taken control of the body and it would be a few hours before he had to be back, he felt Harry's presence trying to take control of the body and smiled in triumph.

"Try as you like idiot, now that I have the control you won't be able to stop me…"

He didn't know he was being followed, a small black figure saw his movements and would go from tree to tree, hiding between the foliage and ready to act. Harry continued walking and got to the gates, it was a Friday and he had no permission to leave the schools grounds.

_You little idiot, where do you think you're going?_

He followed the boy to Hogsmeade and then to The Three Broomsticks, he transformed and entered just in time to see the boy disappearing in the fireplace, he cursed and turned to look for Rosmerta.

"Were did he go?"

She didn't look like being in her right mind and he cursed once again, feeling terribly wrong, for what he just understood. He lifted the curse the boy had put over her and questioned her again.

"Where did he go?"

She was afraid, for she had been cursed with the imperius curse by none other than Harry Potter.

"He… the, the ministry… I think"

"You will not mention this to anyone, if you do we are all doomed do you understand?"

She nodded still scared and not knowing what the hell was going on.

"Just one thing… Why? He's always been such a good boy"

"That was not the Potter we all know Madame, now remember… Not a word, or I will punish you myself"

His tone and demeanour told her he was not joking and that he would very well do as he said, she nodded and gave him some floo powder obviously he was following the boy.

"Thank you… The Ministry of Magic!"

Once again he appeared just in time to see the boy sneaking into the elevator, then he went to the front desk and gave the man his wand to be measured.

"Business?"

"Message from Headmaster Dumbledore to Arthur Weasley, private and important"

The man nodded and let him pass, he quickly got to the elevators and saw were it stopped, as he suspected it, Level Nine, the Department of Mysteries, he took the other elevator and followed suit.

_Stupid Golden Boy, you will not win, there's nothing you can do now_

He left the elevator and transformed once again, this way it would be more difficult for the boy to notice him. He entered the rotating room and stood, his back was to the hall and so he knew more or less which door would open to what room. Once the doors stopped rotating her transformed once again and opened one, he entered the Time Room and looked around, one of the shelves showed that something had been removed. He felt his heart beat faster in fear for he understood what the other pretended to do, that would surely be beneficial to Voldemort.

_Imbecile! You are not using that brains of yours!_

He transformed once again, one of the doors was still open and he entered quietly and waiting for the right moment to attack, he had to be careful or he could actually kill the boy. As he suspected the Boy Who Lived was in front of the veil, silent and as far as he could notice, hearing something. He approached as silent as he could, he would be faster if he did it the other way but the boy would hear him and he needed to be in the right angle.

"How the hell did you come back Black? As far as I know there's no way for anyone to come back from here… What did you do?"

He thanked the skies that the boy was wasting time trying to figure out something not even Dumbledore had been able to understand. He approached more and got right in the angle he needed, the boy put the chain of the time turner around his neck, this one was bigger than the one Hermione used back in third year, obviously to go back in time for a longer period. He transformed back to his normal state and hid in the shadows.

"Whatever, I'll take care of that and some other things… You will have to be killed again Sirius Black, and the book will never reach his hands, I will get complete control of this body and win this damned war… Then, I'll follow Tom's example, just that I will not be so stupid, if you want to control the wizarding world first you need to be loved by those you want to reign… This will be so easy"

The man almost reacted too late for being distracted, what he heard was just too much for him. But he managed to stop it, he raised his hand and sent a strong silent expelliarmus. The strength of the spell knocked the boy back, the timeturner fell form his neck and disappeared alone.

"You fucking bastard!"

He looked for his wand but found out that it was in the other man's hand already.

"Give that back you fucking son of a bitch!"

The man raised an eyebrow but wouldn't stop pointing the boy with his wand.

"You are in no position to be insulting my mother boy, now that I have seen what you really are I have no other choice… Leave now or you will disappear forever"

"You can't stop me Snape! I am Harry Potter, if you destroy me you will destroy him!"

"Shows how little you know about the mind, you are just a fragment of him… The part that wants revenge and as we all have, the part that wants power… You are just a small apart of what makes him human, so don't think so much of yourself. Now leave and let me talk with the Potter I know"

"Fuck you Snape… I will come back and I will finally take control of the body that has always belonged to me"

Harry's eyes became clear again and he fell down to his knees, he was shaking and felt like vomiting. Before Snape could get to him Harry retched and threw up right there, all the tea he had consumed in Dumbledore's office was now all over the floor.

"I'm… sorry"

He said between gasps of air and coughs, he felt terribly shamed, this time the other part had taken almost absolute control over him and he had not been able to stop it.

"Calm down first Potter, and don't talk just yet, your throat is sore"

He cleaned the mess and gave Harry a handkerchief to clean himself up, Harry thanked him and sat more comfortably, his knees hurt and he knew he would get bruises from the hard fall.

"He's insane professor…"

"Clearly..."

Snape conjured a cup and cast aguamenti, giving the cup to Harry who drank slowly, trying to soothe his throat and get his stomach a bit calmer.

"He must be stopped, if you know how please do it… I prefer death to become another Voldemort"

"There's no need for you to die Potter… He can be stopped by much more simple means"

Harry looked at him confused, as far as he knew this was not a simple matter.

"How then? I've tried to stop him, to command him to go back to where he belongs but I always fail"

Snape sighed and put a hand over his shoulder, Harry didn't really know what to do, for the expression Snape was giving him was one he had never seen before. The man was looking at him with a face that showed that he cared, as if he felt something for him very close to what Sirius or Remus felt. The man smiled softly and suddenly he saw in him the face of a parent, more than he had seen in Sirius or any other adult he had met and come to love.

"Harry… There is only one way to get rid of him… The problem is that you don't want to do it, because you feel that you must suffer for it"

"I don't understand professor… I'm just too confused… I'm scared of myself"

Snape moved his hand to his head and caressed Harry's hair lovingly.

"You must forgive yourself Harry, you must understand once and for all that it was not you fault. None of the things that have happened were your fault, Black's death, Diggory's one or any other that have had the bad luck to cross Voldemort's path is your fault. As I said the other day, you did not create him and you are not responsible for his acts"

Harry shook his head why people didn't understand? He had been the main reason they had died.

"I let him trick me and lured Sirius to a trap, I took Cedric with me to the graveyard and for that reason he killed him… I let Pettigrew live and gave him the chance to bring Voldemort back, I should have let Sirius and Remus kill him"

"You wouldn't have been able to live with yourself if you had, you didn't want them to become killers. And Black is not a child, he should have known better than to go there, if you want someone to blame for that, then I am as guilty as you think to be. I taunted him, told him he was useless and that he was all comfortable living in that house while the rest of us risked our lives… And for Diggory, there was no way you could have known about it. For what the headmaster told me, he agreed to take the cup with you, you didn't force him and certainly you didn't know that it was a portkey"

Harry clenched his fists, he couldn't accept that it just redeemed him and he felt it was unfair.

"I didn't do anything to stop it professor, I just stood there, watching how Bellatrix killed Sirius, how Pettigrew killed Cedric… I didn't try to stop him"

"You couldn't Harry, I was there, I saw it too… And I have heard the story of what happened here by many, from this side and the other, and definitely was not your fault. If you want to get rid of the Golden Boy you first need to forgive yourself, what is done is done, and can not be fixed… That is why Black's sudden apparition was so dangerous"

"I know… But it's not fair, Cedric's still dead, I will never forget his father's face when he saw the body…"

He was now embracing his knees and Snape, even when he had never comforted anyone more than Draco, knew the boy needed someone to lean into. He embraced Harry and let him cry silently, the process would be slow but at least was starting.

"He doesn't blame you Harry, he told you so and has told many others…"

"I can't believe him… I wish I could bring Cedric back…"

Snape sighed and gently caressed Harry's hair, the same way he had done to Draco in other occasions.

"But you can't, and you must accept that, also try to believe him for he's not lying… Mr. Diggory blames the real culprit, he knows it was Voldemort and not you who killed his son… You must believe Black too, you know I don't like him that much-"

"You don't like him at all… Though I don't blame you"

Snape actually laughed at that, he was acting so out of character that he was thankful they were alone.

"True, but that doesn't stop me to see what I know is the truth… He knows is not your fault what happened, is Voldemort's and his, and mine. All what you did was to try and do what you thought was right"

"Had I taken you classes seriously none of that would have happened"

"Not necessarily, occlumency is an art that takes time to control… Even if you had managed to learnt it well, he still could have gotten to get inside your mind somehow"

Harry raised his face and looked at him, he was frowning and Snape felt that this was more the Harry he knew.

"Then what was the point of me trying to learn it at all? What about now? Does he still have the power to get into my mind?"

Snape had let him go, they both had reached their limit of bonding and Snape felt strange when he touched him, like he shouldn't do that, a feeling that the boy was almost godly to be touched.

"If you had learned it back then, by the time he had attacked you the images would have been less clear, maybe you wouldn't have been lured that easily, but I'm not completely sure of that, as I don't really know his mind completely… He is a strange being, not really a human but not a monster either… As for now, there's no way he would be able to get into your mind, you have perfected the art"

"I see… But I still feel bad for what happened"

"And you wouldn't be human if you didn't Harry, that is what makes Voldemort so dangerous… He is unable to feel anything else than hate"

Harry crossed his arms and looked seriously at Snape, he would use this moment for all it was worth.

"And you? You have lived so long with so many obscure feelings inside of you… What does that make of you?"

Snape actually blushed a bit and that took Harry by surprise, the man sighed again and knew Remus would kill him for what he was about to do, but he wanted Harry to understand.

"I still don't like Black, and will forever be mad at your father… But I have learned to put that somewhat behind… And I know how to love Harry, I loved someone so much back in my time at school and even when I had joined him… And then, after all these years I learnt to love again"

Harry was surprised to say the least and felt that soon he would be really, really shocked.

"I'm afraid to ask, but… Who?"

Snape lowered his face, what was done was done, and he didn't know why, but he felt unable to deny him anything.

"I don't want to get into details, maybe later another day but not now… Just know that one of the reasons I didn't like you was exactly that, you look just like your father, except for your eyes… Those are completely your mother's"

Harry didn't need more to understand, he was speechless, but it did explain a lot of things.

"You… Loved her…"

Snape nodded but didn't say more, that was the only thing Harry needed to know.

"Back then…You called her a mudblood… That's you worst memory isn't it? Every time you have got near a Dementor, that's what you see isn't it?"

"Yes… She was a wonderful woman Harry and I was the biggest imbecile you have ever seen"

Harry couldn't help the small laugh that came to him, but he stopped right away, there was more, there was still the present.

"And now?"

Snape looked to one side and then the other, definitely Remus would kill him.

"My patronus used to be a doe which was the same as your mother's, now my patronus is a wolf"

Harry actually choked with his own saliva and Snape waited till he recovered, casting more water on the cup to help him clear his throat once again.

"Oh god… This…"

He stopped and frowned and Snape knew all the nice and calm atmosphere was about to disappear.

"I'll kill him! I'm going to kill them both!"

Snape noticed he had been left aside and was thankful for that.

"Don't kill them, maybe Black but not Lupin…"

The look Harry gave him said that he better stayed silent.

"Now that I think about it, I should kill you too…"

"At least let me know why?"

"You just know too much about me and I know nothing about you… That would be the first thing, second, you two could have told me! Or what? Did you think I was going to go all homophobic at you two? And three, just because… I'm mad and so be it… You better put all those thoughts in the pensive I definitely do not want to see any of that"

Snape actually laughed at that, finally Harry was calmer and his process to recovery and getting rid of the golden boy had started. He actually felt ashamed when he mentioned the homophobic part, but at least now he had something to placate Remus when he started to go ballistic on him for telling the boy without him present.

"When were you planning to tell me? And don't even think of telling me that you told me now, if this had not happened I still wouldn't know!"

"Calm down Potter, and it was Lupin the one supposed to tell you, if it makes you feel any better he will skin my alive for telling you without him present"

"Serves you right, and what happened with Harry?"

Snape had the audacity to shrug.

"Went away the moment you threatened to kill me"

Harry laughed at that but was glad to get the Snape he was used to back with him, all this bonding thing had created an estrange feeling in him.

"Then, Professor, I think we should go back… I really don't want to be here"

"I can imagine, but do try to forgive yourself…"

He stood up and cleaned his robes from dust, he turned and looked at Harry in the eyes.

"Harry… That is the first step to recovery, because what is happening to you is labelled as a sickness. Don't forget that he is a part of you, but he escaped his right place inside your mind… You created him as a mean to escape from something that shouldn't even exist, the Golden Boy is nothing more than wrongly managed guilt"

"You should have been a psychiatrist professor… You really understand the human mind"

He snorted and held him a hand to help him stand up.

"I would have killed them after the first fifteen minutes Potter, I'm not the most patient man and you know that"

Harry accepted the hand and stood up with a bit of difficulty, his knees hurt and he was quite tired.

"Oh I know that, but still"

"Come on Potter, let's go"

Harry nodded, but before he started walking he turned his head to the veil and felt something somewhat familiar when he heard the murmurs that came from it. He sighed and turned his head again, following Snape out from the room and then out of the department of mysteries.

-.-.-

It was finally Christmas, Harry had managed to convince Pansy to go with him to Hogsmeade to buy Draco's gift. It had been more complicated than he thought but he finally got something nice for him. Most of the students had gone back to their houses and Harry had wanted to bring Draco with him to Grimmauld place, Sirius had protested but some well placed words from Remus and Snape had finally convinced him.

"He hates me… I should have stayed back"

"Don't be silly Draco, Sirius doesn't hate you… I can't see why anyone should hate you"

Draco rolled his eyes and petted him on the head.

"That's not your mind talking Harry… I already had a little encounter with him and didn't go that well"

Harry knew of course, Draco had told him but Harry preferred to intervene for he knew those two were just too proud to let anyone try to play referee.

"I know him Draco, once he sees how wonderful you are he will love you too… And remember that we won't be alone, Remus and Snape will be with us too"

Which actually worried Draco, as he saw it Sirius would be alone and that was not fair, you should have someone you loved with you during Christmas.

"Do you think he'll like my peace offering?"

"I'm sure he will, as well as the gift"

Harry had gone with Draco to buy something for Sirius, the man was the closest thing Harry had of a father and he wanted to cause a good impression. So Draco had got a very nice quill and printed parchment, Harry said the man would really like the one with paws around the borders. He also had bought a delicious cake that Harry promised him Sirius would love, the man liked sweet things and the cake would be the perfect peace offering he could give him.

"What did you get him?"

Harry smiled sadly and held Draco's hand once they had apparated in the street in front of the house.

"I managed to find a place that could get mount pictures, I got two pictures, one of my parents with me as a baby and one where Sirius and Remus were together, so now is just one big picture with all of them… And me of course, I got a copy for Remus too"

"That's pretty nice, I would like to have known your parents… At least you mother, Severus does not talk very well of your father, sorry"

Harry laughed and kissed him softly on his forehead.

"Don't worry I'm used to that already, and frankly I can't blame him… My dad was a bully back then, I still wonder what did my mom see in him…"

"Well, I'm glad she found something, you wouldn't be here if she hadn't"

Harry laughed again and led Draco into the house, just to spite everyone inside he rang the bell and the both of them could hear the scream from inside the house.

"Blood traitors! Beasts! Mudbloods! How can you let that trash inside this noble house! I knew I shouldn't have drank when I was pregnant with you!"

Snape opened the door and scowled at him.

"It was necessary to do that Potter?"

"Is his first visit professor, of course it was necessary"

Snape snorted and let them get inside, closing the door quickly and going back to the living room. They could hear Sirius screaming back to the female voice they had heard.

"Shut up you old hag! I am the only good thing that has ever come out of this house!"

The scream suddenly stopped and Sirius came scowling back to the living room. He glared at Harry and then, just to be fair to Draco and Snape.

"Harry, give me a break, it's Christmas the last thing I want is to hear that damn woman screaming shit"

Draco looked completely lost, he had never visited this house before and hence did not know what was going on.

"Will someone be so kind as to tell me what is going on?"

Sirius looked at him and sighed.

"That, Malfoy, was my _beloved_ mother…"

"But… Well, isn't she dead?"

"She is, that is her portrait… Every time someone rings the bell she starts screaming"

He looked at Harry and gave him a murderous look.

"**That's** why we **never** ring the bell"

Draco laughed softly but didn't respond, he just extended his hands with the delicate package he had.

"Um, I brought this… Thought you may like it, as a peace offering, _uncle_"

Sirius took the offered thing and opened a bit to see what it was.

"For the time being… _Nephew_"

With that he went back to the kitchen to put it into the fridge, he soon came back and looked at the two boys, the pair caused something to move inside of him. He felt that he had seen that before, years ago, but that was impossible.

"Um, Malfoy, why aren't you with your mother?"

He asked not to annoy him or hurt him, but because he really was curious. Lucius was still in Azkaban and she surely would be alone, they all knew Lucius was a Death Eater, but during the trials they proved she did not have the mark. He had spent a lot of lonely Christmas and knew it was not a happy way to be during these holydays.

"Sirius"

"No Harry, it's ok… I don't mind"

He turned to look at Sirius and smiled sadly.

"My mother is not precisely alone, it's not safe for me to go home right now. I don't know if they know about my change of alliances or not… Mother will be alright, she's strong and that is her house after all"

Harry took his hand and Sirius nodded understanding and even giving Draco more points in favour, he was protecting Harry, maybe sacrificing his mother. Snape and Remus soon appeared in the room and the atmosphere suddenly got quite heavy. Remus rolled his eyes and said nothing to Snape when he went to the couch and sat down, Sirius went back to the kitchen to check on the food and Remus motioned the boys to take seat too.

"Remus? Where is Kreacher?"

"Regulus' room I guess, he's been spending a lot of time there lately"

Harry looked at him curious, as well as Draco, Snape crossed his legs and prepared himself for one story he couldn't care less for. Remus, noticing Harry's face smiled sadly and told them what he could about the man.

"Regulus was Sirius' younger brother, he was a Slytherin and joined Voldemort's lines… He died at the age of eighteen, we really don't know what happened, but Sirius thinks he was killed by the Death Eaters. At the end it was too much for him I think, he tried to escape but you know that Voldemort does not know the meaning of forgiveness"

They stayed silent trying to guess what kind of person he was like, or what did he see exactly to make him decide it was not worth the effort. Did he kill, did he see someone being tortured? Both?

"Regulus was a very kind boy…"

They all turned to look at the kitchen entrance, Sirius face looked sombre and his hands were clenched.

"He wanted power, that much is true, but I know he didn't want it at that price… I tried to convince him not to do it, more times than I can think of but he did at the end. He was trying to please our parents, and to appoint I think he wanted to prove to me that he was not weak…"

He was looking down now and Harry, as well as the others noticed the silent tears falling from his eyes to the dirty carpet.

"Kreacher liked him, he always got the best part of a meal his clothes always looked better than mine… I hate the creature because after how much my brother cared for him he didn't protect him, Kreacher always said he preferred Regulus but at the end he didn't help him. I know he was with him the night he died, because they left together, but only the elf came back"

Harry had stood up and gone to his godfather's side, embracing him and letting him let his pain out.

"I loved my brother and if he had not died back then he would be dining with us tonight. He was intelligent and kind… He was a good person who was too young and naïve, he made a mistake and paid the price with his life, that's just not fair"

"I'm sorry Sirius"

Remus was with him too and leading him to the armchair he had just vacated, they were supposed to be happy and trying to enjoy the celebrations together, but they knew that given the circumstances they were living on, it was not that easy.

"It's not your fault… I think it was mine, I should have been stronger, I should have taken him with me"

Snape frowned and Draco crossed his arms over his chest, he had his opinions but knew that he better stayed silent. Snape, however, would not keep his opinions to himself.

"There's nothing you could have done Black, I know much more about the time you brother was with him. Regulus Black wanted power, as many Slytherins who grow under the rule of the founder's beliefs. As the_rule_ dictated he would get that by any means possible, the problem is that the influence he was surrounded by was not the best. Had he been in any other house he would have thought of other ways… If you want to blame someone, then blame the house separation system"

He was looking down and Harry understood something incredible important, if Severus Snape had not been in the company of those he shared a house with, he would never have done what he did. If he had stayed with his mother the man sitting next to Draco would be completely innocent, and maybe even his father. And even when the thought was disturbing it did not disgusted him.

"You brother, as you said, had a kind heart… He could never use the curses the rest used, he was never able to see directly to those Voldemort tortured, and always closed his eyes when they were about to kill someone… He was a lousy Death Eater, and I know this won't make you feel better, but that fact is what probably granted him a place in heaven. We all make mistakes, the real strength lies in our capacity to learn from them and correct them"

And for the first time since they knew each other, Sirius Black looked at Severus Snape with pleading eyes.

"Please Snape… Tell me who killed him"

Snape shook his head slowly, his eyes low and his hands together, white knuckles showing the tension the man was under.

"I don't know, none of them said anything and Voldemort never spoke about him to us. I think they really don't know, not even Voldemort himself… When we knew about his disappearance we looked for him, everywhere possible, but found nothing"

"His tomb is empty"

Snape nodded and stayed silent, he couldn't help the man and really felt bad for it. He would never admit it, but he considered Sirius a good man and a very loving one. He hated him, yes, but that was something completely personal and even though Sirius would never admit it either, he also thought the same of Snape.

"I whish I could find his body, to at least let him rest in a pretty place… Somewhere I can bring flowers to"

Harry was still at his side and one of his hands was moving up and down on his back, trying to soothe him somehow. They were so immersed in themselves and the sad story they had heard that they were surprised when they heard the old house-elf voice.

"Master Regulus was good… He is nice to Kreacher, and Kreacher tried to save him… Master Regulus give orders to Kreacher, said he was to leave and go back to the house. Said not to tell family about it, Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to hide and stay safe"

The elf was crying and his hands held a firm grip on the rags he used as clothes. And then in a flash he was hitting his head on the wall.

"Kreacher failed Master Regulus! Master Sirius knows, Kreacher failed all the orders Master Regulus gave!"

Sirius was speechless, this was something he had never expected, it took a moment for him to react and stop the elf.

"Stop that! You're not going to fix anything hitting yourself stupid elf!"

The creature let itself fall down to the floor and kept crying and shaking, definitely the mood for a nice and calm Christmas was completely gone.

**TBC**

Well, first I want to apologise, I had a lot problems with my computer and was unable to post sooner. The power supply died and had to be replaced, problem was that I had to use the insurance and they took more than two weeks to fix it, you know, bureaucratic shit. Then the Windows explorer also died and had to go buy a second hard drive to use as main, so I wouldn't lose everything, but that meant to install everything again and I needed a friend to do it because I don't know how.

But now everything is alright and I'm back!

* * *

So here I give another long chapter, and the more I post there will be more spoilers for the sixth and seventh book. Next chapter will start after Christmas, and near New Year's eve, as there's not much to tell about the sad and dark 'festivities' they had.

Once again, thank you for all your reviews and for choosing this story for your favourites lists and alerts. This fic is something that was born after I read the fifth book and was still crying the death of Sirius Black, I liked the character in spite of his many wrongs during his life.

Soon more things will be revealed, more problems will arise, and who knows, I may even kill someone. Or let them live, I'm still not sure what will happen next, stay tuned!

And let me know what you think! Reviews are the only feedback we writers actually have!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. Though, after reading Deathly Hallows I've decided to keep some facts about them, so **from chapter 8 onwards the fic may contain spoilers.**

**AWAKENINGS**

Chapter 10

He knew the day would come, he just didn't thought it would be so soon. Draco sat on the bed looking at the piece of parchment in his hands, telling him he was expected to be back home for New Year. He was scared for he knew this was not his mother's doing, Harry and Draco had gone back to the school, at first they were supposed to stay at Grimmauld place but it was useless, besides the order needed the place because they had gotten a lead about some attack during the festivities. Now Draco was in his room in Slytherin, scared shitless for he knew he was being called by Voldemort to fulfil his duty as a Malfoy.

_Merlin, what the fuck am I going to do?!_

He couldn't say no, for that surely would end in his mother suffering the consequences, and she had suffered enough as it was. He knew Voldemort would ask him to do something dangerous and that surely implied killing someone, he couldn't do that, but he could not say no either.

_Someone help me please_

-.-.-

Harry was really worried, Sirius had been left in a very dark mood and a meeting was not the best thing for him but there was nothing he could do. He had to go back for no matter what he said to them Molly would not let him stay, something that was starting to really annoy him. He understood the woman and appreciated the caring, but he was the one chosen for it, hiding information from him was not the best option.

He had just come back from Dumbledore's office and was in his way to Snape's to finally start with his training. He had finally decided to tell the man everything, there was no use for him to keep the secret from him, he needed the man and if spilling the beans was the price for his teaching then so be it. He finally reached the office and knocked twice, after a moment the door was opened and Snape motioned him to get in.

"I'll tell you everything professor, I need you to teach me or I won't be able to do what I've got to do"

Snape was a bit startled, this was his student not the golden boy and his determination somewhat scared him. When Harry Potter ask you to teach him how to get inside Voldemort's mind, and does it with that stance, you didn't have too many choices, especially during the times they were living through.

"Calm down Potter, you know better than anyone that for these kind of teachings you must be calm and centred"

"I know professor, but I'm getting desperate. I have a very bad feeling, something has been bothering me since this morning…"

He was actually pressing a hand to his chest and Snape got worried, in the magical world when a hunch affects you physically then you really must be careful. He summoned two cups of tea and a calming potion for Harry to use if he felt he needed it. He sat down in the couch in front of the boy and stayed silent, letting him say whatever he needed to say.

"Professor, first you must understand that what you are about to hear must not be known to anyone, especially Voldemort. I trust your knowledge and your abilities but I also fear his, we both know he can be very _persuasive_ when he wants to"

"I know Potter, I'll take all the precautions needed"

Harry nodded and after taking a small drink of tea he continued.

"The headmaster has been telling me a few things about Tom that I didn't know before, about his past and especially about his current condition… The night he killed my parents he should have died too, he was hit with the killing curse, but as we can all see now, he didn't… The reason behind that is the disgusting dark magic he knows, tell me professor, is there a way to stop dying? Not counting the philosopher's stone?"

Snape frowned and pressed his lips very tight, he had placed protection spells all around his room but felt it was not enough for this conversation.

"Potter, you know locking and silencing spells much stronger than the ones I am using right now, please use those spells in this office, this talk is not for estrange ears"

Harry understood and put the spells he got from the book, knowing the only person who could hear was Draco, but that was a risk they would have to take, besides, no matter what spell they used Draco would be able to hear anyways. When he finished they sat again and Snape answered Harry's question.

"The other way is using unicorn blood, but he already tried that and it was after he attacked your parents… I can not think of any other way"

And Harry felt relieved for that, giving him the reassurance he needed to continue his tale.

"There is another way, he split his soul in seven parts… Unless all those parts are destroyed he won't ever be killed"

Snape looked disgusted and Harry couldn't blame him, with every reaction he saw the more relieved he felt.

"He sealed the part of soul in an object, which are called horcruxes. I already destroyed one back in second year…"

"The diary…"

"Exactly, back then I used the basilisk fang to kill it, so that one is out… Professor Dumbledore destroyed the other, the Gaunt's ring-"

Snape's eyes opened wide and he felt all his body growing cold.

"His hand…"

He hadn't intended for Harry to hear that but he did anyway and now looked at his professor with a very intense look.

"You know what happened to him don't you? It was the ring isn't it?"

"Merlin… Yes it was, but I don't understand, if he knew about it, why did he wear it?"

A question neither had an answer for, Dumbledore had always been like that, way too many secrets but you couldn't stop trusting him. Snape looked at Harry, completely understanding why he needed to get inside Voldemort's mind and why it was the only way for him.

"You need to know where the rest of the horcruxes are, and what they are"

"Yes, mostly where they could be, what objects they are it easier… Voldemort gives purity a great deal of importance and will not use any kind of object. They must be something he deems worth of protecting a part of his soul… His own diary and the ring proves that, so we must look for something that holds importance to him and probably to others"

Snape understood, he also remembered a talk he had with the headmaster, a very horrible talk though, where he told Snape that there would be a time when Voldemort would fear for the life of his snake.

"The snake… Nagini"

"Living beings are not a reliable thing… But it makes sense"

They stayed silent, Snape couldn't stop thinking about the talk he had with the head master. And suddenly he felt old and tired, Snape wanted to go back to sleep and not wake up in years if possible, for Dumbledore had asked him to finish his life.

"Professor, now that you understand, please help me… I must find the other ones, or this war will never end"

"I will Potter, but not tonight I am tired and need to rest… Tomorrow night, I will be expecting you be here at nine and do not eat anything, this won't be nice…"

_And you will probably end hating me again, which I do deserve… I shouldn't have let myself believe in this truce._

Harry nodded and stood up.

"Thank you professor, if this works out we all will be indebted to you"

"Say that after we have finished him Potter, not before"

Harry looked at him confused but asked nothing, he already had asked way too many things of the man.

-.-.-

Neville was running he needed to leave the school urgently, a letter in his hand and his wand in the other. He knew this would cost more than a hundred points to his house if they discovered him, but if he didn't go things would be even worst. He managed to escape prefects and teachers, but wished for his lover's abilities those would really help him. Problem was he had to go alone, a portkey would be waiting for him just outside the gates of the school and he would be teleported to Diagon alley.

_The things I have to do for him, they better wake up soon or I'll skin them alive myself!_

He thanked the gods that there was no moon that night, his black cloak would help him run without being detected. He reached the gates saw the broken mirror and promptly took it, feeling the pull in his guts he was soon teleported.

-.-.-

Pansy had gone to the astronomy tower, she was a prefect and would not be asked questions for being out of bed. She reached the place and opened the door slightly, she looked inside and saw the person she was looking for.

"Good you're here"

"I came as soon as I got the letter"

She nodded and took her cloak off, letting it rest over the back of a chair. The other person was looking out by the big window there, following a dark figure that hurriedly left the castle.

"Neville has just gone, things are happening way too fast… I don't like this"

Pansy understood her, if history repeated itself this time it would be even worst. The other person turned her face and passed a hand through her hair, not that bushy anymore.

"Pansy, they must wake up before him or things will repeat again, and this time maybe the world will pay for it…"

Pansy looked nervous and the other girl noticed it, she couldn't blame her though, too many had died before and even more would die this time.

"I have an idea Hermione, to make them wake up… But I'm afraid it will trigger his own awakening too"

"What do you mean?"

Pansy sat down and sighed, she had an idea yes, but it scared the hell out of her, she didn't have anything else though.

"We must create a situation for it, if one of them gets himself in a life threatening situation the other will awake, that will trigger his partner awakening… But it also may trigger _his_"

Hermione looked at her startled, the idea was good but just too dangerous.

"A lot have already woken up, I've felt the energy… I'm sure you know who they are, at least those who serves Harry's side"

Pansy actually laughed, she had not told her about Blaise's stupidity.

"Yes, I've sensed those, and just for your entertaining purposes, I'm letting you know that Blaise tried asking Harry to help him get Neville a present… The poor boy almost passed out forcing himself out of his duty"

"Idiot, should have asked me first, not second"

"Neville told him so, but it doesn't matter anymore… But as I was saying I have sensed some of them… Most of them are from other countries and won't come unless called by him, the same will happen with the others"

Hermione turned to look at the window again, this time noticing that another figure was leaving the castle.

"There goes Blaise by the way, he'll never find him though… And even if he does Fred and George will make him pay for his intrusion… God and Merlin protect him, for Harry won't do it"

"Or me for that matter, stupid boy… He should start using his head"

"Let him be, he's in love"

They laughed for a moment but hen soon stayed silent, worried for their future those who didn't have anything to do with what was to come.

-.-.-

Fred opened the door and let Neville get inside, they went to the second floor and George stayed in the dark store, waiting for the other one that was soon to come.

"Fred, is so good to see you…"

"Likewise Neville"

They hugged and then sat down on the couch, Fred summoned to cups of hot chocolate and some pastries.

"In Portugal, Sri-Lanka, Denmark and even Japan people have awakened… But they are not the ones that worries me, they will come when he calls them, for the moment we are enough"

"I know, we must find a way to rescue him, the three of us are the main defence he has"

Fred nodded and took one of the pastries on the plate.

"I know, but for the time being there's nothing we can do, it would be too obvious if you left school for so long and I can't do it alone"

"Problems, there are just too many problems!"

"And now you have another one if my ears don't deceive me"

They stayed silent hearing the yells that came from the store, good thing as they had put silencing charms around the store to keep nosy ears from hearing what they shouldn't.

"I'll kill him, will make him come back and kill him again…"

"Come on Neville, you like him just too much, you'll call him in less than a week"

Neville concentrated and showed Fred something that left him shuddering.

"Man you're cruel"

"Thank you, now if you excuse me I have some snakes to strangle"

Fred moved his hand telling him to leave if he wanted to, they would talk again though, they had not been able to come with any plan or something. Neville went downstairs and saw George in a position that he knew very well.

"If you don't stop right now George I will do what I did to your brother and believe me you won't like it"

The moment George turned his head Blaise used it to escape the twin and in less than a second be next to his lover, but even though the lover liked him very much, he was not amused.

"Blaise, you have thirty seconds to go back or I'll use you know what and stick it you know where"

Blaise stopped in his attempt to hug Neville and stepped back, knowing very well he was capable of doing just that.

"I was worried!"

"No, you were jealous… No go back before I get violent and you know I don't like that"

Blasie clenched his fists but did as Neville asked him, they would talk once they were back at school but still annoyed him.

"Finally, he is very strong though, Neville…"

"And next time do not threaten him with that, he may be annoying sometimes but I love him and thus want him hopefully in the same country if possible"

George raised his hands in defence but couldn't stop his mischievous smile.

"If you ever need to punish him we are always available… Anyway, you should go back too, won't be good if you're spotted by a teacher, filch or a prefect… Here use this, it'll help you"

They gave him decoy detonators and instant darkness powder, there was no way people would know it was him.

"Thank you guys"

They smiled and patted him in the back.

"Just promote our products will you?"

Neville smiled and nodded, he said his good byes and also left the store.

-.-.-

Draco was pacing from one side of the room to the other, and with reason, at least for him, for he didn't know what scared him most, if going to confront that monster or telling Harry that he had to. He unconsciously played with the silver snake pendant Harry had given him for Christmas, and thanked the gods for his boyfriend's obsession with precautions, the pendant was had been charmed to bring protection to the user. It wouldn't stop the killing curse but it helped Draco to keep his mind out of Voldemort's reach. The pendant would also protect him from some very powerful curses, and even when it would not stop the cruciatus curse at least stopped the imperius.

_Please Harry hurry up and let me be done with this!_

He sighed and let himself fell on the bed, Draco had to go the next day and wanted to spend the night with Harry if possible. It would help him sleep relaxed and be ready for the very hard day he would go through. He had left precise instructions with Pansy for the well being of his fellows Slytherins and what to do in case he came back not in his full shape, he suspected Voldemort had an ace under his sleeve. He didn't hear the door being opened and the person he was waiting for enter the room, so when Harry talked to him he jumped and felt his heart going a hundred miles per hour, plus his wand was pointing right to Harry's heart.

"Merlin… Harry, don't scare me!"

He lowered his wand and sighed, thought he was not calmed at all.

"I actually knocked twice Draco…"

He frowned worried by the clearly altered state his boyfriend was in, Harry walked towards him and took a hand in his, feeling the accelerated pulse he sat down on the bed and his worried expression accentuated even more.

"Draco what's wrong?"

"Everything Harry…"

Harry took his wand and cast the silencing and locking charms he now used as if they were the most normal spells that could be found in any school text. He then took Draco in his arms and embraced him to try and make him feel better, but he knew it wouldn't be very effective, he could feel it, that everything was about to go downhill.

"Tell me…"

"You'll get mad…"

Harry raised an eyebrow and tightened his embrace when he felt Draco burying his face in his robes.

"You don't know that Draco, and I promise I will hear everything before saying anything ok?"

Draco sighed but knew there was no escape, he had to tell him and accept whatever happened.

"I must go home tomorrow, mother sent me a letter and will be expecting me… I know the letter isn't really hers, he made her write it, I know my mother's style. If I don't go he'll do something to her, I can't let that happen again Harry, she has suffered enough"

Whatever reaction he was expecting a kiss on his hair was not it, even less a soft caress on his back. Harry's reactions were definitely not what he thought they would be and he understood that he had underestimated him.

"Calm down Draco, I understand and I agree with you… You must go, even more, act exactly as you are expected to act. Otherwise you'll endanger not only your mother's life but yours too, I don't want anything to happen to any of you"

Draco tightened his grip on Harry's robes and pressed his body to his boyfriend's.

"I'm scared… I hate everything that has to do with him but I have no other choice, frankly I don't know what to do. I feel that I'm too transparent right now, not the Slytherin I am supposed to be"

"Draco, you are the Slytherin you are supposed to be but you are also a good human being. Being a Slytherin doesn't mean being a monster, just cunning and resourceful, among other things"

Draco actually laughed at that but his laugh was not full and clearly showed how scared he was.

"Look, is still early, go talk with Snape about this, I'm sure he'll be more of help than I am. He has been next to that thing long enough to know how to act and what to say… I'll be waiting here"

"I don't want to leave Harry, I don't know if I'll come back sane… He knows too many dark spells and has a full stock of potions"

"More the reason to go to Snape, I trust him, I know he'll help you… Meanwhile I'll do my own research, the room will give me whatever I need"

Draco let go of him and looked at his eyes reluctantly, he wanted to spend all the time he could with Harry but could not deny his logic. He dried his eyes and stood up, arranged his robes and cloak and tried to calm down.

"I'll go, but you better be here when I come back or I will force my entrance to Gryffindor, and I don't think that pink hippo wants that"

Harry smiled, that was the Draco he knew and loved, he stood up and kissed him deeply, Draco answered the kiss and they embraced. After a minute or so they let go, Draco gave Harry a last soft kiss on his lips and left the room.

-.-.-

Snape opened the door to his office and noticing the altered state his godson was in, let him enter at once. Remus was there but one look at Snape's expression was enough for him to know he should leave.

"We'll continue tomorrow Lupin"

Remus nodded and left the office, Snape closed the door and put the strongest silencing and locking spells he knew, not as strong as Harry's but those would have to do for the moment.

"You got a letter from your mother, isn't it?"

Draco nodded and sat down on one of the armchairs, letting his head fall down. Snape summoned two cups of tea and just if it was needed some fire-whiskey.

"He wants me back for New Year, I must leave tomorrow"

"I see… Does Potter know?"

Draco nodded and took a sip of his hot tea.

"I just told him, he told me to go and act as I was supposed to act… And forced me to come here"

"That brat… If he had used his head before maybe Voldemort would be finished by now"

But he knew now that it would have been useless, because Tom Riddle had divided his soul and was now less than human.

"He is right though, Draco…"

Draco nodded again and pushed his cup aside, it was Snape's cue to give him something stronger, the man did but not too much, just enough for him to calm down.

"You will go and act the role he expects you to act, be humble and do exactly what he says. I know it will be hard and that maybe you will be forced to do something horrible, but do not falter Draco… But more importantly, no matter what is, if he gives you a mission, accept it and complete it"

"What?! Are you insane Severus?! What if he asks me to kill someone? What if he wants me to kill Harry?!"

Snape put his glass down and sat on the other armchair, looking at Draco directly in the eyes.

"If he ask you to do that then you will have to do it, do not hesitate Draco or you will perish and with you much more people. He will not ask you to kill Potter, Voldemort is arrogant and he wants to kill the boy himself… I do not think he will ask you to kill someone in the spot, but probably to use the imperius and even the cruciatus curse, do **not** hesitate Draco, be strong, be a Slytherin and use this to your benefit and the benefit of others"

A true Slytherin, Snape was exactly what people expected of him or at least made them believe he was.

"Severus I don't like to use the cruciatus, I don't like the feeling it comes with… I've never used the others, I don't know how and he'll notice"

"Even better, he will think he is teaching you, his own ego will make him believe you, act the role Draco and you will be safe. He is angry with your father for failing his mission, but for him you are still fresh, he believes he can train you and use you as he pleases, use that to your advantage Draco"

Draco drank a bit from the glass and felt the hot liquid burn his insides, but it helped him to focus, to calm his mind and think with a calculating mind.

"What if he asks me to torture my mother again?"

"You don't have to worry about that, for him is no longer necessary to see you do that. He believes the first time was enough for you to submit yourself to his bidding, and as you have proven already it did not. He does not know that and if you play your part well he will not suspect anything"

Draco finished his drink and nodded, it would be hard but completely possible, as he saw it Snape had been doing it for years and had never been discovered.

"Will you help me with the mission if he gives me one?"

"Of course Draco, no mater what I will help you with it"

Snape had his suspicions of what would be the task Tom had reserved for Draco, and knew the boy would not be able to complete it, but he could and he dreaded the moment he would have to do it.

-.-.-

Draco finally came back to Harry, whom was waiting for him with hot chocolate and some sandwiches, Draco smiled at the gesture and accepted the food, sitting next to Harry and grabbing something to eat.

"You were right, you two think quite alike… Don't know if that's a compliment"

It was a joke but Draco was not smiling, his face was tense and his muscles felt like rock to Harry's touch.

"It is… in a way"

Harry took Draco in his arms and made him seat between his legs, embracing him while the blonde ate what he could.

"Everything will be alright… You'll see, no matter what happens everything will be alright"

"He'll ask me to kill someone, I know he will… He wants to humiliate my father, making me do something he couldn't, I'm not killer Harry"

"I know, and you won't kill anyone Draco, if all, I can promise you that at least"

Draco finished his food and took as bit of his hot drink, just to put it down on the table and let himself be comforted by his lover. The tray with food was levitated to a small table and Harry made Draco fall over the bed and rest his face on his chest, he lowered the lights and with some spells he took off Draco's shoes and socks and then his own, covering both their bodies with the green comforter on the bed, soon they fell asleep.

'_Nooo!'_

_He was running upstairs but that was not the castle or any other place he had ever seen, most of the ancient buildings he saw were destroyed and some were still in fire. He was scared and looked for someone._

'_Where are you? Please answer me!'_

_He finally felt a voice, but it was not the one he wanted to hear, this one was a female's then other two, male but not the one he wanted._

'_He's not here! We sent him back!'_

'_Why? He can help!'_

_He was now very close and ready to attack too, one woman and two men were trying to restrain an third one, a man he recognised and his eyes couldn't believe what he was seeing._

'_Stupid! He can't do anything against me! I am the older one and thus can defeat you and him, and any other who tries to stop me!'_

_His green eyes couldn't believe what he saw and his ears didn't want to hear those words. The woman spoke then, he felt a deep respect for her, but also knew he somehow had a higher status than hers. It didn't matter anyways, even though he saw her as a princess she also was his friend, he had saved her life before too, plenty of times._

'_No! You may be the older but that does not give you the right to control their lives!' _

'_No little princess, I have the right to control them, to stop this insanity… I will not permit this idiot to have him!'_

_He felt a deep rage invade him, and added his own power to restrict the man too, he knew it wouldn't be enough._

'_I have been living under your command princess, but no more, I awakened and now will take what is mine by right, I will stop this nonsense right now, besides… he is mine!''_

_He felt the pull and knew he better got ready to protect himself, this time he wouldn't be able to do anything for the woman, or the other two fighting so strongly, that man had a power beyond human._

'_That nonsense is called love! Is it you the one who has never been able to understand it! Live and let live! No one belongs to another; instead of trying to destroy their lives try to enjoy what you already have!'_

'_ENOUGH! I am the ruler of all, the highest one!'_

_The two men died instantly, the woman lasted a few minutes more but was defeated too, he had managed to take cover, but was badly hurt._

'_Come if you want, brother… It won't change anything though, you two are condemned. Unless you surrender and let me take him'_

_With that the man was gone leaving him laying on the ruins of what used to be a beautiful place, conjuring all his strength to follow his brother._

Harry was sweating, his heart was beating fast and tears were wetting his face, Draco was still asleep and he was grateful for that.

_What the hell was that about?_

He closed his eyes and tried to calm down, that dream had been just too vivid, too clear and the emotions had been real, he was scared knowing this was something that would affect his life even more than Voldemort had done.

Please just let Draco not get involved 

But little he knew that Draco was starting his own nightmare.

'_The sky was estrange, it was beautiful but the colour was weird, however the rare skies were not what really worried him, it was the strong energy he felt coming. This was his place, his home and sanctuary, and very few had the right to come, the one approaching was not one of them, but there was nothing he could do about it._

'_My men are all dead, his too and I don't think hers will last too long…'_

_He knew though, that one person had not still died, and felt relieved for it, praying for the man to stay away from his place, for the other one had finally arrived._

'_Please, keep him safe'_

'_Who are you asking that? He's beaten and you will be too, unless you come with me'_

'_He's not dead…'_

'_I said beaten, but he will be dead… you should not have gone against me, I told you both I would not permit it, he doesn't have the right to have you!'_

_He got ready, he would fight and he would win, or at least that was what he thought._

'_You just can not accept the fact that I love him?!'_

'_He's not worthy! You are pure and you should be mine! You should love me the way I love you!'_

'_That's not love, that's obsession…The only one unworthy here is you!'_

_The hit was hard and his body went flying through the floor, he knew he would never make it, but he would try and definitely would take his brother with him._

'_We are not the ones with the problem, that is you! Everyone knew and understood that, even she fought to protect that, it is supposed to be the centre of everything!'_

'_She was weak! And for that reason is she dead! I do not tolerate mistakes and you two made one! You are perfect and thus you should be mine!'_

_He attacked and felt a bit relieved that he actually managed to hit his target, he was tired and hurt, he wouldn't stand for much longer._

'_You are so bitter for your own weakness, for not having the courage to do what your own heart asked you to do… And those who did so must pay the price, you're pathetic brother, you are obsessed with me, when the one you really love is another'_

_He felt the enormous power coming from his brother, knew he couldn't do anything, but attacked anyways. And then he felt it, the familiar coldness that had always come with the one he loved, and at the same time the amazing warmth he brought with him._

'_It's over…'_

_He opened his eyes and saw it, the lifeless body of his insane brother laying on the floor, and the weak figure of his lover coming towards him. He cried, both, in happiness and in pain and sadness, for he knew they both were dying, but at least they would be together._

'_I love you'_

'_You shouldn't have come… You shouldn't die, you are too precious'_

_His brother and lover finally knelt beside him and helped him to sit up, he embraced him kissing him softly._

'_They are all dead, and even if they weren't, there's nothing for me here if you're not with me…'_

'_I love you'_

_They succumbed to the darkness of death, their bodies falling on the floor, his lover resting his head over his chest. Minutes passed and everything was silent, though not for long, two tall figures one from his side and one from his lover's appeared, they were badly hurt but alive._

'_They won at the end'_

'_They did, but I don't think about this as a victory…'_

_They knelt beside the bodies and each picked one, they would take them to a better place and then would come back for the other one. One of them turned to see the one still on the floor and felt deep hatred and rage._

'_This will happen again, these two love each other too much, and he will follow… We may not have the same luck, the world may not survive another war'_

'_Maybe, but I for one, trust my master and his powers… And I will pray for a definite victory next time'_

_They started walking away, there was still a long way to go and they needed to be quick._

'_I wish I had your faith my friend…'_

Draco woke up suddenly, and felt his body being held by familiar arms.

"Nightmare?"

He turned his head to look at Harry and nodded, he couldn't talk yet and the fact that the warmth he felt right now was just too similar to the one he felt in the dream wasn't helping, not only that, he also felt the coldness, it was not bad and actually made his body feel reassured.

"Don't worry Draco… You'll see, everything is going to be alright"

Draco just closed his eyes and let Harry hold him, he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep and something told him Harry wouldn't either. Draco somehow knew Harry had dreamed something similar.

-.-.-

In a house lost in the middle of nowhere, two men were drinking coffee and looking at the flames of a fireplace. They were past their forties, reaching their fifties and the several scars on their skins told about very hard lives, their faces showed the signs of hard battles but also of deep knowledge.

"They're dreaming with the past… I don't know what to feel, if relieved or scared"

"Both I guess, we knew they would come back… What I never expected was for them to be born as wizards"

The older of the two snorted, and drank a bit of his coffee.

"Even though it gives him a lot of power, he is not the best… Those two have the upper hand this time… We just need for them to wake up before he does"

"That's not very plausible, for the moment they wake up he will, they're brothers… And those two will awake at the same time; you know that kind of power bust won't go unnoticed by him"

They stayed silent, they were too old and were, as their masters called them, muggles. But hey would stay alert, in case things went wrong once again.

-.-.-

It was morning already, they had moved from the room to one of the towers to watch the sunrise together, a moment of peace before the storm.

"It's time Harry"

"I know"

They slowly stood up and started their way down, first to the room and then to the dungeons. Draco had already packed his things and soon they were in front of Snape's door, before they could knock the door was opened, and Harry noticed Snape looked just too tense.

"Professor? Are you alright?"

Snape's shoulders tensed even more but managed to gain control over himself, Harry's presence provoked reactions he didn't want to feel, for he once had said he wouldn't serve anyone ever again.

"I am fine enough… Mr. Potter"

Draco could feel the tension, it was impossible not to.

"Severus, it is time"

"I guessed that much Draco... Please go take seat, I'll bring you something to eat, you must not go there with an empty stomach"

Draco didn't feel like eating anything but also knew that a weak body was easier to control, so he accepted the food that was offered.

"Draco…"

Harry took his hands and looked at him directly in the eyes.

"Please trust me, everything will be fine… You and your mother will be ok, and you will be back without problems"

His words were full of confidence and Draco knew, right then, that he was right and everything would be just as Harry said.

"Thank you…"

Snape came back with tea and some sandwiches, Draco ate slowly and the other two noticed the trembling hands. Snape knew there was nothing else they could do, Draco knew what to do and how to do it, he was trained and knew how to keep Voldemort out of his mind.

"You two be careful too, I don't know how much he knows even though most of the Slytherins are with us there are some that are not"

"I will take care of that, don't you worry Draco… He's more prone to trust me than a not full Death Eater"

Harry lowered his eyes and stayed silent, as he saw it Snape was not a full Death Eater, but knew the man meant bearing the mark. Finally Draco finished with his food and tea and sighed, this was it, he had to go and nothing would stop that. He stood up and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and then opening them again, he was calmer and more determined.

"Everything will be alright"

Harry had stood up with him and so Draco embraced him, tightly and lovingly.

"I love you, and I will miss you Harry… Take care of yourself"

"I will Draco, and I love you too"

Snape had the decency to look somewhere else, the scene felt too familiar and had a certain air of royalty to it. When they separated Harry caressed Draco's face softly and then let go of him.

"I'll be waiting, be careful"

"I will"

With that Snape accompanied Draco to the door and then out of the castle, Harry stayed and prepared himself for the training that was to come, though, his mind was not completely at calmed as he wished. He had told Draco everything would be alright, but something told him things would soon get bad.

-.-.-

Draco was gone and his absence could be clearly sensed, especially by the snakes, they were silent and even the seventh year students wouldn't move. Not many had stayed out of the new position the house had taken regarding the war, those who had knew they were being watched and would remain in the background for the moment. Pansy had stopped her visits with Hermione and Luna, the situation was complicated and those three decided to stay quiet till Draco showed his face around the school again.

Harry on the other hand would keep himself as busy as he could, if he was not training in the quidditch pitch, he would be helping those who wanted to practice defence, if not that he would be working on his occlumency, but most of the time he would be with professor Snape, getting ready to start with his new mental training. As the man had told him it required a major power of concentration and so he needed to meditate, besides, Snape had still not told him some of the things he was supposed to.

Ron and Hermione were together most of the time, but contrary to common belief they were not snogging or the likes, no, they usually discussed about the practices and Harry. They were worried but there was not much they could do, both knew their friend needed to do whatever he was doing.

"Even so Hermione, he's spending too much time with Snape… That cannot be good for anyone"

"You're overreacting Ron, the man may not be the nicest person in the world, but he's not evil incarnated, that would be Voldemort… Besides, Snape knows what he's doing, if Harry feels the need to spend so much time with him there must be a reason"

"Maybe… He also spent a lot of time with Dumbledore too"

She nodded and they continued with their planning, with winter at its peak it was more difficult to coordinate the trainings, a lot of the classrooms they used were just too cold to use, even with warming charms. Mostly because they were also used for other purposes which required them to have a constant temperature. The room of Requirement was out of the question, it was not a good idea to let it be known by everyone on the school, besides, Harry had almost taken residence there and they did not have the heart to take it form him.

Dumbledore was everyday weaker but the only ones who actually knew and could notice could do nothing for him, the curse was slowly eating him alive and as Snape had told Harry, it couldn't be stopped, just delayed. The old headmaster had not been seen lately, for he spent most of his time in his office and quarters, getting everything ready for his, soon to come, death.

-.-.-

"Dinner is ready Sirius…"

The man turned his face and smiled at the oldest of Arthur's sons, Bill had decided to make his staying permanent, he had quitted his job in the bank and was now working as an auror, not full time but enough to be always informed about what was happening.

"Good"

Sirius definitely did welcome the company, he was just too lonely with only a mourning house elf as company, he had stopped bullying Kreacher and let the elf be. The creature was clearly still suffering for the loss of his master Regulus, he also suffered for that but he had learned to get over it and keep going. He now had a godson to take care of, even if said godson didn't feel like being protected.

"Did you talk with Remus?"

"Yes, things are quite tense these days, the snakes have lost their leader for the time being and Harry is overworking himself"

Bill sat down and started eating slowly, Sirius had told him about some of the things that had been happening, not letting the man know about Draco's and Harry's relationship, nor Snape's and Remus'.

"That's not good, if he doesn't slow down he'll end sick"

"There's not much we can do, Harry's like that and so be it… He resembles his mother more that James would have liked to admit"

Bill smiled at that, but his worry wouldn't go that easily, times were getting every time more dangerous and everyone was scared. Even them, who knew were strong and skilled, who had already fought against those under the man's orders, feared what was to come.

"I would have liked to know her, every time you talk about her I imagine this fine and strong woman, feminine but fierce at the same time…"

"And that's the reason it took James so long to finally get her, he fought and finally won her over, they loved each other deeply… If had not been for Lord fucking nutcase Voldemort, Harry would have been a very happy kid"

The redhead smiled at that, he knew what the man meant, he had had the luck to grow up with both of his parents and even though they some times drove him crazy he would never change that life for anything.

"True, sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had married Fleur… If I had not realized in time, if we had had kids"

"There's no point on doing that Bill, you'll get no answer from what ifs. You only have two options, live the now and live the future, I recommend to live the now and from time to time think about the future"

Sirius had finished his food and had stood up to prepare some tea, giving a cup to Bill and then taking seat again with his own.

"What about you?"

"Oh, I think about the now more than ever, and reflect about the future when in company… I already died, before, I stayed in the past and wouldn't think about the future, forgetting almost completely about the present… I have a second chance now, I want to enjoy every day I have been given back"

He smiled at his companion, whom decided that his tea was way more interesting that looking at the grey eyes fixed on him.

"And what do you think about the future? The now has not too many options, but what about what is it to come?

Sirius looked up, giving the redhead a rest from his cup-staring contest.

"I prefer to be optimistic; for starters I see a world without evil overlords… From then on, not really that much, I'll try to spend more time with Harry to really know him. Recover all those years I spent away from the last of my best friends, and actually doing something useful"

"Won't you feel a bit lonely? I mean, even though they are family, they also have their own lives…"

Sirius looked at him again and sighed.

"Maybe, but I prefer not think about that part of the future… Is one of those things you really can't predict to any degree. Long ago I loved someone, but that person already felt something for someone else… Whom, now that I think of it, loved another one, and that other one had been trapped by a third party… The last one was the only one who got what they wanted, at least back then"

Bill looked at him wide eyed and blinking, at this sight Sirius couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, it's quite confusing… At the end, the only one who didn't get the one he wanted was me. I'm happy for them though, it's good to see that there is still love around… But that's why I prefer not think about it"

"I guess you're right, sometimes you must accept that what you want is just too far to get"

Sirius frowned and looked at Bill serious.

"No Bill, you never accept something just because, fight is always an option… For when you fight you only have two ends, you win, or you lose… Fifty-fifty, but giving up before the fight is not an option… It's being a coward"

He finished his tea and stood up, put if cup in the sink and left the kitchen, Bill stayed there, nursing his half empty cup of tea and looking at the place Sirius had vacated.

_Sometimes, Sirius, things are much more complicated than that… Sometimes you really don't have an option._

Sirius had let himself fall over the couch heavily, he was a bit angry at those words of defeat. If the man wanted something he would have to say it out loud, if he wanted to know he would have to ask the right questions.

_Stupid boy, thinking he can decide for others… And then they complain about not being treated as the adults they are._

He huffed and sighed and then closed his eyes, there was not much they could do now. Bill sighed and took his cup to the sink, washed and rinsed everything and then left the kitchen, just to find a sleeping Sirius on the couch, he looked much more peaceful like that and Bill couldn't resist the temptation to stay and look at him for a moment. During the last few months that they had been sharing a house, Bill had found himself attracted to the man but knew also that not matter how much he wanted it, Sirius Black was way out of his league, starting by the fact that the man looked as straight as an arrow.

He sighed softly and decided to go upstairs, but was startled by the deep voice of the man he had been falling for day by day.

"If you want to know something, ask the right questions, if you want to say something, say it right away… If you want something, ask for it… But do not run away like a coward"

Sirius was laying on the couch and still had his eyes closed, but Bill didn't dare to turn around, in fear that the man would see the truth in his eyes.

"Sometimes… Sometimes is safer if you just stay silent…"

Sirius didn't move, nor did he open his eyes.

"Sometimes is the worst thing you can do, for you'll lose even more"

Bill said nothing and left the room, Sirius opened his eyes and sadly looked at his roommate go upstairs.

TBC

So yes, I was planning this from the very beginning, you see this fic was started right after the fifth book and by then I didn't really like Fleur. I still don't like her that much, but I don't despise her as I used to. However, pairing Sirius with Bill was something that I had in mind from the start.

I suspect that some may have already guessed which anime show I'm merging HP with, if you did, I beg you not to reveal it. I plan to do it very soon, maybe in the next chapter or the one after that. So please help me keep the secret.

Hope you liked this chapter as well and thank you all for your constant support!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. Though, after reading Deathly Hallows I've decided to keep some facts about them, so **from chapter 8 onwards the fic has spoilers of both. The sixth and seventh book.  
**

**AWAKENINGS**

Chapter 10

"Focus Potter! Or you'll be detected the moment you try to get closer to his mind!"

Harry was tired, Draco was supposed to be back the next day and he was nervous, besides even though they had started the training Snape had still not told him about his past and those secrets he said he had.

"I'm trying!"

"You're not trying hard enough then!"

Snape was also exhausted, this was much more complicated than occlumency and much more dangerous too. He decided that it was better if they stopped and finally talked about his past, maybe that would help Harry, the problem was that his past and his secrets were not pretty.

"Go sit down Potter and drink that potion, it'll help you recover your energy"

Harry nodded and did as he was told, Snape drank some cool water and sat in front of him, it was time to get everything straight, for he had felt the pressure on his mind and knew soon Harry would be able to enter.

"It is time to talk Potter…"

Harry knew this was his cue to put the silencing charms and securing the door, he did and then turned to look at Snape.

"We will make one thing clear first though… No matter what I say, you will stay silent until I finish, no part of this talk will leave this room and always remember I am the only one who can teach you this"

"I understand"

Harry put the empty vial on the table and took some fresh water.

"As I told you before, I loved your mother… I first met her when we were children, she used to live near my own house. I was the one who told her she was a witch and since then told her everything I knew about the magical world. In exchange she heard and became my only friend…"

Harry felt touched, for Snape to say these things surely took a great deal of courage.

"However, our friendship created a distance between her and your aunt, she was a muggle and for me she was unimportant. As time passed the bad feelings between her and us grew stronger and at the end your mother and her sister distanced from each other, that distance grew even deeper when she was accepted into Hogwarts"

He emptied his glass and summoned some firewiskey, which told Harry things would get just more and more complicated as the tale continued.

"She was sorted into Gryffindor and I, as you know, into Slytherin… That was what started to distance us from each other. I was taken under Lucius wing, but what really tainted our friendship was my allegiance with Avery and Mulciber, two soon to be Death Eaters… I tried to fix things, but as you already know, I just made everything worse, from then on you already know more or less what happened"

Snape drank a large gulp of his drink and continued.

"What you don't really know is what happened after we left school… Lily got married to your father, and then there were you. Pettigrew betrayed your father, but the one who gave Voldemort the information he needed… That was me"

Snape stayed silent for a moment, waiting for Harry to say something, but he just waited for Snape to continue, he would hear the whole story first.

"I heard Trelawney's prediction and told him what I managed to get, not everything but enough for him to make his move… I never thought he would go after you, before that, when I realized what I had done I went to Dumbledore and asked him for help, told him everything I knew and asked him to protect your mother and her family"

He had left the glass over the table and was clenching his fists, Harry didn't know what to think, these memories hurt but they obviously hurt Snape even more.

"He couldn't, Voldemort went after you and we all know the results… I didn't know what to do anymore, I once again went to talk with Dumbledore. I didn't know what I wanted, if forgiveness if punishment… I just wanted to die right then, I still feel like it from time to time… Your mother was an amazing woman Potter, and I killed her"

"Voldemort killed her…"

"For me is the same… I as good as led him to her"

Harry said nothing he would have his turn soon, but he was starting to understand the man little by little.

"You have her eyes, exactly her eyes… I couldn't look at you"

Snape stood up and walked to the window, he turned his eyes to the dark depths of the forest.

"Sometimes… I still can't"

"I'm not my father… I'm not my mother either"

He didn't turn his face, just crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

"I am aware of it… Now more than ever"

Even though the conversation was difficult, there was no real tension between them, but it was clear that after that night everything would be different.

"I told him I would protect you, he promised not to say a word about it… Since then I watched you, I was almost always aware of what you did. I convinced myself that you were completely your father… I wouldn't dare to look beyond that"

The man opened his eyes once again, but still wouldn't look at his student.

"I gave him every bit of information I got, he always dealt with it perfectly… But then he came back from wherever he went with that blackened hand and extremely weak. I don't know what possessed him to use that ring"

Harry didn't know how he knew, but was completely aware of the utmost importance of this part of their talk. He knew that whatever Snape was about to tell him, it was the turning point of their future battle against Voldemort.

"This will not leave this room Potter, as it is imperative for Voldemort not to know about it… This information must not leak into his mind, or we are as good as dead"

Harry just nodded, even though the man couldn't see him, or so he thought. Snape was looking at his reflection in the window.

"Dumbledore is dying, the curse is eating his body slowly and it is impossible to cure… The headmaster plans to use his death to fool him…"

This time he turned to look at him directly in the eye, and for the first time in the whole conversation Harry felt fear and nervousness.

"The mission Voldemort plans to give Draco is to kill Albus Dumbledore… He doesn't expect him to succeed and so Dumbledore asked me to do it for him"

This was it, Snape fell silent and awaited for Harry's reaction, even though the boy had his doubts about the old man, he liked him and felt deep respect for him. To know that he would be killed by the same man he was confiding in right now would surely be a huge shock.

"Will you do it?"

It was not the reaction he expected but he didn't show his own shock.

"I must, Draco's soul is still pure… I will not allow him to stain his soul by that kind of act"

"And yours?"

Harry was being awfully mature and calmed, and somehow that scared the man.

"I will help a man to die peacefully and without pain, letting the curse keep going will make him suffer unnecessarily… And if it is not me, then other Death Eater will do it, and they will not be merciful, they will play with him and humiliate him before it… I will not let that happen"

Harry stayed silent for longer time and then stood up too, slowly he walked towards his teacher and stood besides him, looking out the window too.

"If you're waiting for me to hate you, then go sit down. I understand Dumbledore more than I used to, he plans his own movements and says nothing to anyone, and no matter what you say if you know about them, he will do as he planned anyway. He already decided, there's nothing we can do about it, if it is your destiny to end his life, then you'll fulfil that destiny… I don't like it, I wish I could somehow help him and ensure his life, but I'm nothing more than a more or less good wizard"

Snape was speechless, Harry surprised him everyday more and more and something inside of him was leading him to comply at his every word.

"You made mistakes, but who hasn't? At least you regret them, others still keep making them… Whatever happens with the headmaster is something he himself prepared beforehand. Don't blame yourself for something you really can't control professor"

Harry turned his face to look at him and smiled sadly, no matter how many dangers and bad situations he had gone through, he knew Snape had suffered ten times even more.

"I know there must be more, but I don't want to know… The information I know right now is enough, put the rest in the pensieve"

"You trust me completely"

It was a statement.

"I do professor, and I should have since the first day I met you… I regret not trying to know you better"

Snape snorted and turned his back going back to the couch and to his drink.

"I never gave you a reason to, neither did Draco… As you say, it must have been destiny, we needed to know now and not before"

"Guess I agree with that… I know it's not use, but I wish things could be different, I would like for Dumbledore to see a world free from Tom's tyranny"

They stayed silent for a long while, with too many things in their minds to try and say something. Now that Harry knew Snape's past and the reasons behind his actions he felt a little scared to practice with him, for he would pry inside that mind and would see things that he may not want to.

"Go get some rest Potter, we will continue this tomorrow"

Harry understood and nodded, Snape was tired and clearly affected by everything that had been said. He also needed some time alone to really process everything he had heard, as he saw it just one very disturbed man had made everything just too complicated.

"Good night professor"

He was about to tell him to get some rest too, but it was not his call, besides, he knew the man would not do it. Harry left the office and closed the door behind him softly, it was really late and he wanted to be up early to see Draco when he came back.

-.-.-

The man was looking out the small window in his cell, grateful that the Dementors had been taken form Azkaban by Voldemort, he saw the river and felt nostalgic. He then turned his face upwards and noticed there was full moon, and knew the howls he was hearing were not ordinary wolves.

_Soon my lord… I'll be there soon…_

He could feel his presence and a smile formed in his face, it was not an evil one as many would think, no this one was of true happiness. He could feel also how something that was his since ancient times was getting nearer, soon he would be fully equipped to go to his lord's side.

-.-.-

Pansy couldn't sleep, and so she had gone to the Astronomy tower to try and calm herself down, another one had awakened but was not from her side, though, he was her friend. She sighed and closed her eyes, getting the thick blanket tightly wrapped around her, it was very cold.

"Pansy?"

She turned her face surprised but smiled lightly when she saw her friend enter the room, he was taller now and she suspected he would grow even more, after all, back then he used to be very tall.

"Gregory… You couldn't sleep either?"

He shook his head and approached her, he was carrying a comforter, it was much larger and thicker than the blanket she was using and he helped her get under it with him. He loved her, but not in a romantic way, she was one of his best friends and the sister he never had.

"I'm worried… I'm sure you know how much my Lord means to me… I regained my memories last night, their own awakening is near"

"I know Greg, and they will wake up soon… I had an idea but I think there is no need to use it"

Goyle looked at her and rolled his eyes.

"Meddlesome woman, you never learn do you? Have you forgotten the last time you wanted to 'help'?"

"I do, but that time I deserved it… This time, is necessary for us to do something, well it was… I consulted the oracle, they both will wake up very soon"

He looked out the window and sighed worriedly.

"Voldemort has no chance of winning the war once they have awakened… And that's exactly the problem here…"

"That he's the last of our worries"

"Exactly"

He embraced her and let he rest her head over his chest, Draco would be back soon and they knew Voldemort had asked him to do something horrible.

"Do you miss it?"

"What thing?"

"The sea?"

"Yeah, but I love here too… It's nice"

He laughed softly and looked up to the ceiling covered in magical glowing stars.

"And my clothes are dry more often than not"

"True, and I once heard he also felt the same, but loved his place just too much to really do something about it"

They laughed at that and started talking about the past and the good memories, trying to keep the horrors that took their lives in the previous war.

-.-.-

"I'm home"

Sirius raised an eyebrow at that greeting, one would think his pet had died or something by the tone of voice. He was in the kitchen getting something to eat, Bill entered the kitchen and was greeted by a not very understandable 'hello', since Sirius had his mouth full with a chicken salad sandwich.

"Swallow first please… You look ridiculous like that"

Sirius shrugged but did so anyway.

"What's with you though? You sound like your favourite pet just died"

"I'm just tired, we're too tense waiting for the moment he attacks"

Sirius nodded and took another bite of his sandwich, he understood completely the feeling for it was like being in the battlefield right before the attack started.

"You're just waiting for the moment everything blows up…"

Bill left the bags with food he had been carrying over the table and started to take the things out, putting everything in their right place and avoiding Sirius' eyes the most possible.

"There have been a few raids but not very important, it looked more like they were looking for something than trying to kill muggles or so"

"There are myths about certain magical artefacts, but I never thought Voldemort was the kind to believe such things"

Bill didn't really know what to think about it and he was not in that group of investigation either, he finished and got himself a cup of tea with the water Sirius had already boiled a moment before.

"Well, he is insane after all… It wouldn't surprise me if he actually believed in that"

He sat down and as he had done many times before looked down at his cup and nursed it, avoiding the other man's eyes. Sirius left the rest of his food on the plate and stood up, walked behind Bill and grabbed his shoulders hard.

"Ouch!"

He smirked at the face of clear pain the redhead was showing, it was exactly as he had predicted, the man was so tense that he was surprised he could keep moving.

"You need to get rid of these, or you will be useless for the order"

"I'll visit St. Mungo's as soon as I can, now please let go of me"

But Sirius did not this was a chance for Bill to come clean, besides he had also been looking at his friend with other eyes.

"No, there's no need for that when I can do exactly the same job for free"

Bill felt his face burn and lowered it more.

"I don't think that's a good idea Sirius, just let me go to St. Mungo's…"

"Stop complaining and do as I say, I'm the old and wise one; besides you won't go till the moment you really can't stand the pain… Also you won't be bothered here, you will be able to rest without problems"

Bill had to stop the small laugh at the comment of old and wise, finally he sighed in unwelcome defeat for he couldn't think of any more excuses, this wouldn't help at all with the problem that was really bothering him and had him so tense.

"Sirius… This is not going to help me, just let me be"

But the man pressed harder making him surrender and unable to interrupt him.

"I told you already, if you want to know ask, if you want so say, say it… Do not just keep it all inside, or you though I was too stupid to notice the truth?"

"Please…"

"No… Come with me"

Before he could do anything Sirius was already dragging him upstairs and to his room, once there he sat him on the bed and headed to the bathroom.

"Take your shirt off and lay on your stomach"

Sirius tone of voice was commanding, and even though Bill was a man who didn't do as he was ordered just because, he was too nervous to actually oppose. He took off his sweater and shirt off and laid on his stomach resting his head on a soft pillow. Sirius came out of the bathroom with a vial containing a white liquid and with a towel.

"Put a pillow under your stomach that will keep your spine straight"

Bill wanted to laugh at Sirius words he was everything but straight, but he did as told anyway. He felt the other man covering his bottom with a towel and putting a part of it inside, he guessed to protect the clothes from getting dirty.

"Done, now close your eyes and try to relax, I'll take care of the rest"

He guessed Sirius wouldn't keep talking about his problems so he could relax somehow, but Bill knew that the subject was far from being forgotten. He felt something cold on his back and soon the strong hands of Sirius Black were working on the knots invading his back and shoulders.

"This will probably hurt, but bear with for a while please"

Bill just nodded and let the other man do as he pleased, he didn't have the energy nor the will to stop him now, and if he had to be honest with himself, he actually liked it; if at least for a while he could have those hands touching him. Sirius worked thoroughly on Bill's back, going from the lower back to the shoulders and then back down again. He could feel the muscles relaxing little by little, one part at time, thanks to the potion the job was easier and faster, and Bill soon felt his tension leaving him completely.

"Bill, we have been sharing this house for a long while now… But we really haven't actually getting to know each other. I have some secrets I wouldn't talk about, but they're not many so if you want to know something just ask. I would like to know more about you too, you're a nice man and I'm sure you too have your share of interesting stories to tell"

He opened his eyes for a moment and then closed them again, he felt his back tense a bit again but Sirius wouldn't stop his massage so whatever tension he felt was promptly undone.

"I don't have any secrets, what you see is what I am… The only thing I wanted to keep secret was revealed the day I ended my relationship with Fleur"

"You say it like it was something bad, like a disease or something"

Bill stayed silent, he actually felt somewhat like that but also knew it was not his fault, in these cases you are what you are and you have to learn to live with it.

"I want to be normal Sirius"

"You are normal, what you have to do is to embrace that part of you and learn to be happy with it… As many have done already, being gay is not a crime is just like being magical or not. The problem is not you, is the rest… For example, for muggles, being gay is something terrible, but also it is so being a wizard as you already know. Wizards and witches also have their misconceptions, Remus knows very well about that"

Sirius knew that in Remus' case his condition was a problem, a disease, but it was not his fault and still people rejected him for it. However the example fitted anyway, he wanted Bill to understand that he shouldn't be ashamed of what he was.

"Remus is ill Sirius…"

"But it is not his fault, and even if he is, he's still a gentle and good man who only wants a chance to do something with his life. He has all the right to be happy, and so do you"

Sirius finished and cleaned Bill's back with the towel, he stood up and sat at the end of the bed.

"I'm sorry but I don't think it's that easy, you can't force yourself into someone, no matter how much you like them"

Bill had put his shirt and grabbing his sweater he walked towards the door, he decided it was better to leave before things got too complicated. He didn't expect Sirius to grab him by his wrists and push him against the wall next to the door.

"As I told you before, if you want something ask for it"

And before he could do anything the older man was kissing him deeply, he was too startled to react and just when he was about to respond Sirius ended the kiss, opened the door and pushed him out.

"But it seems some times you have to just take what you want without asking, or you'll never be able to get it"

And with that he closed the door and put a locking spell on it, yes he wanted the other man and it was clear to him the Bill also felt the same. Problem was, that if they acted on their emotions without talking about them first, everything could go downhill from there. He knew perfectly he wanted to get the man into his bed, but he also wanted Bill to act not upon his desires but upon he feelings. If they were going to do it, it had to be for the right reason.

-.-.-

Draco arrived at the school an hour earlier than expected which was perfect for him, that way Harry wouldn't be waiting for him and he wouldn't have to answer to questions. He wanted to see him, to be with him, but he knew there would be questions and he really didn't want to answer them, just to think about what he had to do sickened him. He walked towards the stairs and then to the dungeons, he wanted to go to bed and sleep and never wake up till everything had ended.

He was tired and the last thing he wanted was to see Snape, that's why he clenched his fists and actually growled when he heard the door to the office being opened and his name called. He turned to look at his godfather and soon felt bad for his previous thoughts, the dark rings under the man's eyes and his more than usual pale skin told him clearly how bad things were for him too.

"Draco, please come in"

He nodded and entered the office, he soon was greeted with tea and food.

"Is everything alright Severus?"

"I don't know, there is too much going on to be able to tell"

Creepy words if he had ever heard some, and he had. Draco took out his wand and placed strong silencing charms and before Snape could ask him what was all that about he answered.

"I have to kill the headmaster"

He already knew, but hearing it from Draco made it so real it scared the shit out of him.

"I guessed it would be that… What are you planning to do?"

"Follow my orders"

Snape looked at him and knew perfectly well that wouldn't happen, Draco would not be able to carry on with his mission.

"Will you tell him?"

"I don't know, I don't think so"

Draco had no touched the food and had barely taken a sip of his tea, not really hungry and actually feeling like throwing up.

"Would you prefer if I told him?"

"No…"

"He must know"

"I know"

He felt like crying; this was just too much, he wasn't an assassin and he, even though he usually said he didn't, respected Dumbledore. Besides, he knew that even if he actually followed Voldemort and went against the headmaster to kill him, he would lose.

"Harry will hate me again, there's no way he would forgive something like this"

"You may be surprised Draco, he understands much more than he let people know"

Draco raised his head and looked at his godfather and head of house, and he felt hope grow in him.

"Go get some rest, do not tell anyone about your meeting and even less about your mission… Talk with Potter as soon as you can Draco, it will be for the best"

He stood up and walked towards the door but before opening it he looked at his professor.

"You trust him unconditionally"

"I do"

"Good"

With that Draco left the office heading towards his house and hopefully to his bed, he wanted to sleep and forget everything even if just for a while.

-.-.-

Harry woke up suddenly grabbing his chest, more like his pyjamas but he could feel how hard his heart was beating. But what surprised him the most was that could feel it, he felt Draco's presence in the school and knew he was back from home. He had heard about couples who shared a feeling so deep that they could feel each other, but he never thought they were one of those. He knew he loved Draco but they had been together less than a year, just a few months and he already could feel him, it was something that scared him a little.

But he also knew something, that a love so strong made you a stronger person and that it also could be just what they needed to destroy Voldemort, maybe that was what Dumbledore always talked about. His mother had died protecting him, that kind of love was so strong that if it hadn't been because of the horcruxes, Voldemort would be dead by now. If he managed to destroy all the horcruxes then he and Draco would be able to finish him once and for all.

But there was something that had been bothering him since he learned how the horcruxes were created, that he may have to sacrifice himself in order to finish Voldemort. That thought scared him and didn't want to ask the headmaster in fear of his answer, also he didn't know how the rest would take that information.

"Harry!"

He was abruptly brought back from his inner thoughts by Ron's voice.

"What?"

"Man! I called you like five times already… What's gotten you so lost?"

"Oh, nothing really… Don't worry"

Ron raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

"As if I would believe that"

"Don't ask then, please… I don't want to talk about it, it's… Complicated"

Ron sighed but didn't ask, he knew Harry wouldn't say a word if he didn't want to.

"As you wish Harry, but you'll have to tell someone sooner or later, don't keep shit inside you"

"Ron-"

"Now come on! Or you'll be late for breakfast!"

Harry smiled thankful for Ron's simple mind it always helped him to feel better, he stood up and got ready to go downstairs. They found Hermione there and the three of them left to the Great Hall, his mind though was not there, it was down in the dungeons thinking about his blonde snake.

"Seems that Malfoy still hasn't come back"

Harry didn't look to the Slytherin table, he already knew Draco was not there, and even though he understood what he must have been going through it still unnerved him. He followed his friends to their table and sat down, it was almost like a robot, something he did everyday, every week, every month. He ate, mostly because he knew Hermione would nag him if he didn't, but he definitely was not hungry.

"Harry? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just a bit tired… I've been training a lot"

Not a lie, not the real truth either, but Hermione bough it and that was the idea.

"I'm going, I need to get some things ready before classes…"

Before either of his friends could say a word he stood up and left the Great Hall, with a lot of eyes over him but only a few really knowing what had the boy in that state. Pansy sighed and continued eating, Blaise looked up to and exchanged looks with Neville, Goyle just shook his head and kept eating his meal with gusto.

-.-.-

Snape opened his door knowing already who was the one at the other side, he was expecting this visit.

"Come in Potter"

"Thank you professor"

"Take seat and drink this"

It was an order and it made him feel uneasy, which it shouldn't given the fact that he was the teacher there. Harry obeyed anyway and drank whatever potion the man was feeding him.

"You are too trusting"

"I can trust you completely"

Snape didn't answer but the words made him feel proud of himself, and it scared him, he had never been one to hope for the good graces of someone else, even less a student. There were only two who had made him feel like that before, one was Harry's mother and the other was currently Remus. But Harry was a completely different matter and he didn't like it, but he couldn't push the boy away either for he knew that would be detrimental for their future.

"I need to talk with him"

"He will talk to you when he feels he is ready for it"

"I already know his mission"

"And you should not, and for my sake, Draco's and yours, you will not tell him you already know or who told you… He is my godson and I want him to keep trusting in me"

Harry nodded, but the problem remained, he knew Draco very well, and the boy would not tell him a thing.

"What do I do then?"

"Wait, there is not much you can do right now… Keep training, we must be ready, Voldemort has been getting more and more secretive"

"Do you know when he will get his followers out of prison?"

"Soon, Greyback was sent to patrol the area… I am sure he has been heard but he will not be found"

"What do you mean? Who's Greyback?"

Snape narrowed his eyes and Harry noticed the hatred emanating from the man.

"He is the responsible for Remus' current problem…"

"Oh"

Harry understood now the feeling of his teacher, if Snape didn't do it first he would take the beast's life himself.

"Anything else?"

"Not much, he is keeping the raids at the minimum though and would not go himself"

Harry frowned and hummed.

"He's scared"

"It would seem so, I am not sure why though…"

"Probably because of the horcruxes, I'm sure he at least knows about the book"

Harry stood up and went to the door, his first class was potions but he didn't want to get there with Snape, and was sure the man wouldn't want that either.

"The snake's the key professor, the moment he starts protecting it then he will attack"

Snape nodded, knowing quite well that fact and saw the boy leave his office and lead his way to the classroom.

-.-.-

As he had suspected Draco had not gone to classes that day, at least he never showed up for those the two houses had together. He got even more worried and after his last class he left the castle, took his broom and went to fly alone over the forbidden forest. It didn't help much tough, his mind was completely focused on Draco and what he could be doing. He turned and was so distracted that lost balance and fell down right into the forest.

"Fucking shit!"

The fall had not been that high, he had been very close to the trees and the branches helped to stop his fall, but it hurt anyways. The problem was that he didn't know how far into the forest he was and what kind of creatures he could find there.

"Oh damn… Now this is bad"

He heard movement and turned fast taking his wand out even faster, he felt a bit relieved when all he saw was a few thestrals and nothing more. He wasn't scared of the dark creatures since they were used to humans, or that was what he though. When one of them snarled menacingly and showed its teeth he knew those were not tamed, or that they had been startled when he fell. The thing is that he was getting scared and that was never something good when facing wild animals.

"I'm not going to hurt you… I just want to get out"

Not even him understood why was he talking to them as if they could comprehend what he was saying, he was surprised though, when he saw them scatter very fast, when he turned around he understood the reason, Fluffly was there, the three heads showing their very sharp fangs and ready to attack.

"Double fuck"

He took a step back, slowly hoping the animal would see that he was not a threat and would let him go, but the dog approached him.

"Come on Fluffly, you know I'm harmless…"

Once again he was talking to an animal as if it were a person, his surprise though was great when he noticed the dog was not growling anymore and had actually assumed a docile posture. Not hearing his sense of self-protection he approached the animal and noticed that the nearer he got the more submissive the animal became.

"Fluffy?"

The dog was huge it could easily rip him in two if it wanted to, but it didn't. The dog just lay down and actually moved his tail happily Harry felt more confident and dared to touch the animal and the reaction left him perplexed, as the dog it was , the animal turned around showing its belly to him and waiting for the boy to pet him.

"Man, Ron will never believe this… Hell, I doubt even Dumbledore himself could believe this… Cool"

He took his wand and called his broom, which soon came flying towards him and once he had it let it rest against a tree. He felt relaxed and completely protected, it was clear the animal had come to protect him from the thestrals. He stayed there giving the huge animal the attention it asked from him.

-.-.-

Draco was just too nervous, he needed to talk with Harry but he also was scared shitless about it. He sighed and decided to go out for a while, the lake had always been a favourite and so he headed there. He could hear it, the soft and melodious singing of the merpeople, which actually surprised him, out of the water he shouldn't be able to hear it, even less enjoy it. As far as he knew their voices out of the water were not precisely the melody of a songbird.

_Who cares… It's nice_

He stopped just next to the water, and the melody was even clearer there, he closed his eyes and let himself be soothed by those beautiful voices. He was so distracted that the noise of the giant squid splashing the on the surface startled him. The animal was known to be docile and if it was not annoyed it wouldn't do anything to you. But Draco noticed something different this time. The animal was actually looking at him in awe, if you could call the way the enormous eyes were openly staring at him that.

"Umm… Hello?"

The animal moved one if its tentacles softly towards him, Draco tensed a bit, thinking that the squid would attack him, but soon the tension disappeared when he noticed the animal was just trying to get near to him, nothing in its behaviour demonstrated anger. Actually the animal seemed to be getting very submissive. Draco reached slowly to it and touched the tentacle carefully, it didn't feel as gross as many would think, it was slippery but not like if you were touching something gooey.

"You seem very nice… I thought you were quite dangerous"

It was true though, the animal was not fond of people even if it was a peaceful being, he usually scared the student not to get to close to the lake. He was still caressing the offered tentacle curiously when he heard another noise, this time he was not startled, somehow having the animal close gave him a sense of security.

"Welcome my lord… We are very pleased to have you visiting us"

Now that was something completely out of character, merpeople would never call a human, and even less a wizard 'lord'.

"I don't understand… I am not your lord, I'm a wizard not a merman"

The one talking to him, who seemed to be the king looked at him wide eyed and lost. Obviously that was not the answer he was expecting.

"But-"

The giant squid reacted and pushed the merman underwater very fast, which was making Draco even more confused, the rest of the merpeople just put one hand over their hearts, inclined their bodies a bit and then went underwater too.

"What the…"

He was sure he saw the squid looking at him with innocent eyes, it had been a very bizarre experience but it actually helped him stop thinking about his mission and what to do with Harry.

-.-.-

In another place, a house that used to belong to a fine man and his family, there was a figure that resembled a man but was not entirely. Voldemort was sitting in an armchair, Pettigrew right at his feet and Greyback at his side.

"Do you have any news?"

"Yes my lord… Now that the dementors are with us they have to make change of shifts more often, midnight is the best time to attack"

Voldemort had Nagini at his side and was caressing her softly, his eyes narrowed in thought and after a few minutes he looked at the cowering man at his feet.

"Wormtail, go back to Bellatrix's house, get everything ready to receive my followers. Malfoy's house is no longer safe"

"Right away my lord"

With that Pettigrew apparated away, leaving just the half snake man and the vicious werewolf.

"You will lead the attack, close to full moon you're more useful during those days. I will be waiting three days from now Greyback, and I don't want any mistakes"

"I will bring them all back"

With that the wolf also apparated away.

"Finally Nagini, I will reign once again, and this time will be forever. The boy will not stand a chance"

His laugh sounded more like a hiss and so followed his pet.

-.-.-

Lucius was ready, he had regained all his power and he knew that soon he would be reunited with his lord, he looked out the window and could feel it, the power that was getting nearer and nearer.

"Soon, very soon… This time we will not be defeated my lord"

He smiled softly, he missed his lord for more reasons than ever this time, for he had been the one to bring him to this world again.

-.-.-

Harry had finally been able to see Draco, but they had not talked that much, just a few words and obviously during the extra defence classes, but Draco would avoid him the most he could. It had been a month already and he was getting frustrated, he had tried to talk with Pansy but there was not use, she would not tell him anything and Blaise would become plain weird every time he tried to talk with him.

"I don't get it Hermione… Too many things had been happening lately, really weird stuff and I need to talk with Draco about it!"

"You can't push him Harry, he will talk to you the moment he feels he's ready"

"You're repeating Snape"

She made a face but said nothing about it, the man was right after all and so was she.

"You should be getting ready to practice, now that the snow is receding and there's only rain the matches will resume"

"I know, actually the next match will be held next Saturday, I don't know what I will do…"

"Slytherin?"

"Yes, Draco and I play the same position, as a seeker and as a Gryffindor I can't fail myself and the team, but I am just too distracted"

She hummed, he had a point but she also knew Harry would focus the way he should, once he got into a broom it was like watching someone else.

"Don't worry Harry, everything will be fine, you'll see and I hope this match will help you two to relax a little and finally talk, even if it is to yell at each other"

"For the first time since I play, I'm hoping for Draco to try and do something during the play… At least I would know he is still the same Draco I know"

She laughed softly but also understood completely her friend's words.

"Now go, I'm sure the team will be thrilled to go out and practice"

He smiled and nodded standing up and leaving upstairs to tell Ron about the practice and let him gather the whole team.

-.-.-

"Draco, I know you are scared but you really need to tell him…"

"And then what? Hear him say that I'm insane and that what I was sent to do will not happen, that he will not let me? I don't want to lose him Severus"

Snape gave him another tea with a bit of calming potion and sat in front of him.

"Look, I shouldn't tell you this but I think it will help you… Potter and I have been training almost everyday and during those times he have seen things that would have made him stop coming. I told him things that could have destroyed all the work I have done with him… But he didn't left., he didn't accuse me of being a murderer even though I am… He still trust in me even when he knew I was the one who told Voldemort about a secret that lead him to his parents… Trust in him Draco, you have not yet done any of the things I have, you are still pure"

"I doubt that Severus"

"Since when have you started to doubt yourself so much Draco?"

"Since I was sent to kill a man who does not deserve to die"

Snape sighed and shook his head, this was just too complicated and Draco was not helping any.

"Sometimes there are things that can not be stopped Draco… You should go with your team, it will help you to clear your mind, and get ready"

"I know… Next match is against Gryffindor"

"You say it like it was the end of the world, I have faith in you Draco… If there is someone who can play at Potter's same level that's you"

Draco gave him a half smile and finished his drink.

"Are you encouraging me to play foul game?"

"I am doing not such thing Draco, I am just telling you to play at your best"

But the expression on his face was clear, do whatever you can to win, no matter what, and if possible, do throw him off his broom. Draco smiled a bit more evilly this time, he loved Harry and would not hurt him, but this was qidditch and all was fair there.

-.-.-

The week passed quite fast, Harry had decided not to tell anyone about his encounter with Fluffy but would go to visit the animal every time he could, the dog would behave as a puppy when he visited and even though Harry liked the animal it found it just too estrange. That same animal had tried to kill him during his first year in Hogwarts.

"Harry, are you listening?"

He turned his face to the board in front of him and blushed, Ron had been explaining his strategy for the game for a long time now, and only him had not been able to completely grasp everything, he was just too distracted.

"I'm sorry Ron… I have too many things in my head these days"

"That's why we keep playing because it helps you to **let things go** for a while"

"Sorry"

Ron sighed and the rest just shrugged, the strategy was mostly for the rest of the team since Harry's job was to look for and catch the snitch. They knew this match would be the hardest of all, not only because it was Slytherin and they were used to play rough, which were Ron's thoughts but also, and this was something some on the team knew already, because of the tension between Harry and Draco. As Pansy had told Draco, a lot of people already knew or suspected, and those in the team who knew were wondering if their captain would play at his best, or would he be influenced by the other seeker.

"Anyway, this is the whole strategy… And be always aware of their tricks and fouls"

With that Ron finished the meeting and the rest of the team stood up and went into the showers, the practice had been very hard and tiring but they all felt there was no way they would lose, even if Harry for some reason didn't catch the snitch. Harry stayed back, looking absently to the board Ron had used and even though he understood everything that was described there it also was like reading a complete foreign language.

"Harry… Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just worried…"

"Have you know anything new about **him**?"

"A few bits, but not too much to really do anything yet… Our main course of action is still getting everyone well trained"

"Which is going pretty well as far as I know… Harry, I'm not as stupid as most people think. Even thought I don't like him, I know you and Malfoy are now friends, and even Seamus who's usually not that observant has noticed the tension between the two of you… Can I know what happened?"

Harry didn't know how to explain it to Ron, he couldn't tell him they were in love yet he wanted them to try to get along better so Ron won't try to actually kill Draco. But he couldn't just tell Ron anything, he was his friend, his best friend and they were supposed to trust each other.

"I can't tell you that much Ron… The most I can tell you is that his trip back home was not precisely a family reunion"

"Oh…"

"Exactly"

"I'm not going to ask the details, but I can see the problem a bit better… Have you talked with Snape?"

"Yeah, but it's Draco the one I need to talk to… I know he won't betray us, that's for sure, but we need the information to form a plan of action"

It was not precisely a lie, yes he knew what Draco was sent to do, but to start a plan of action he first needed Draco to come clean. He needed the trust the other boy had in him and letting him know that Harry already had known would not be beneficial.

"Well, as I see it, even without the information we still can make a plan. I may not know what happened but if there's something I'm sure of is that he is planning to attack the school. So, the first thing to do is to reinforce the wards and protect the secret passages to the town and the Shrieking Shack"

Harry looked at his friend and for the first time in a long while he smiled happily.

"Man, I happy to have you on my side… I bet they don't have good strategists, they would have taken Hogwarts already if they had"

"That's Ron Weasley to you"

The redhead smiled showing him the V sign and then stood up to go to the showers too. The game would be the next day and they always preferred to go to sleep earlier than usual to be fully rested and ready for the show.

-.-.-

"Draco, are you even listening to me?"

Blaise was looking at him with his arms crossed over his chest and tapping the floor with his foot. They were ready to go into the pitch and start the game, the rest of the team had just left and Blaise had stopped Draco for a moment.

"I am, I will not fail Blaise… I know what my duty is and what I must do"

"And for my minds sake I hope you're talking about the game"

"I am… Now shut up and let's go"

They followed the rest of the team and entered the field, Gryffindor and Slytherin, seven facing seven, green and red. Tension was the order of the day and could be sliced with a knife almost. Madame Hooch stood between them and signalled the two captains to get closer, Draco and Harry did as told and looked at each other in the eyes.

"Shake hands captains!"

They hesitated for a moment but finally grasped each other's hands and shook them once.

"Be ready to lose again Malfoy"

"Be ready to feel your first defeat Potter"

They smiled arrogantly but for those who knew them the best it was clear that behind those arrogant words and challenging look, was a friendship that would not be broken by the result and a game that would not be affected by their feelings.

-.-.-

TBC

Ok, in the next chapter I will reveal finally the anime show I did this fusion with and the identities of the ones involved in it. I've given a lot of clues in this chapter, so if any of you have already guessed I ask of you not to say anything in your reviews. You can hint, but not straight out say it, please, bear with me and my desires of suspense XD

Thank you all for your loyalty and I'm once again sorry for taking so long to post a new chapter, you know, real life always finds a way to screw your plans from time to time.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story. I'm not making any money from this.

Author Notes: As I said in the summary, this fic is SLASH/YAOI, aka **Homosexual relationships**. If you are a homophobe or this is not your cup of tea, please leave and don't fill my mail inbox with flames. The story follows the books till OotP, from then on is AU. Though, after reading Deathly Hallows I've decided to keep some facts about them, so **from chapter 8 onwards the fic has spoilers of both. The sixth and seventh book.  
**

**  
AWAKENINGS**

**  
Chapter 12**

The match started, as it was expected it became fierce since the first moment, both teams trying to get a hold of the quaffle and get more points. Ron's strategy was working at they already had a hundred points more than Slytherin, Draco and Harry were both looking around for the elusive golden snitch and they better got a glimpse of it soon, because it seemed like rain would soon come.

"And Goyle almost sent Weasley out of the pitch, that girl sure has very good reflexes!"

Ginny had the quaffle and was in her way for the next point, it would put them over Slytherin with a difference of almost a hundred and twenty points already. Ron had the feeling that for the first time in the history of his school years, Harry could not be the one to catch the snitch first. He had seen Draco practice and so he had prepared an strategy to win even if the snitch was lost.

"Another point for Gryffindor! Well done Ginny!"

Finally Harry saw it, the golden shine of his target, he dived right after it and as he suspected Draco was soon next to him. The skies darkened and a few drops of rain started to fall, soon would come the down pour and then things would get even more complicated for them.

"Potter and Malfoy are still side to side, and only Merlin knows how they can see that ball in this rain!"

They suddenly had to part to elude a bludger and with it lost the snitch which sent the both of them to the top the field again to have a better view. Meanwhile Gryffindor had gotten over Slytherin by a hundred and eighty points, the snakes had a hundred and fifty and the lions had three hundred and thirty. And the match had already reached the two hours, from now on they depended of two things, endurance and the snitch.

"And once again Potter has seen the snitch, Malfoy follows close…"

They were near the ground but the ball suddenly went up and to the right, and so they both followed. It was raining fully now and as everybody knew it was the worst condition to play, they could slip and fall. Draco finally over passed Harry and extended his hand to get nearer the golden ball, Harry sped and also extended his hand.

"They are side by side both very close and-"

A lighting bolt touched the ground scaring everyone except the two following the snitch, a tree near the field was burning and several teachers were trying to put the fire away, with the help of the rain it was soon off. However, while they were distracted a bludger hit Draco, they weren't fast enough to catch him and the blonde fell to the ground.

"And…. Draco Malfoy… Got the snitch"

"NOOOO!"

Harry's scream was the only thing that could be heard in the silence that invaded the pitch, he flew at top speed towards the fallen and unmoving Draco and before he reached the ground he jumped and ran towards him.

"Draco?! Draco answer to me!"

But it was too late, when Harry took the body in his arms he could feel the broken neck and clearly saw the blood flowing out of Draco's mouth. He was dead, he had got the snitch but it had cost him his life, and something within him woke up, Harry looked up at the dark sky and screamed, in a voice that was not his, this was deeper and darker.

"Bring… him… BACK!!"

He didn't notice that everyone was trying to get to them but couldn't, somehow he had created a barrier and no matter what spell they threw to it, it wouldn't fade. They all stopped trying when they saw something that had never been see in the history of magic, a black bolt of light descended from the darkened sky directly over the two boys.

"What the fuck"

Most of the people there thought the same, except for a few who knew exactly what was happening. Harry looked down at Draco, his eyes turned a darker shade of green and a black aura surrounded him. His voice was deeper and the look in his eyes was fierce.

"Come back to me Draco Malfoy, you know who you are now and I know it is not your time yet… So obey me and come to life ONCE AGAIN!"

Only those who had awakened before and who had done it right now heard those words, and those who were loyal to Harry's true identity kneeled down, for their lords voice was command and when the man who ruled the underworld spoke you had no other choice than obey. Harry felt how Draco's body restored itself under his command, the broken bones came back to their righteous place and sealed as if they had never been destroyed. Blood vessels and arteries healed at once, the spleen and bone marrow worked at full time to restore the lost blood and his damaged cerebellum, which had caused his immediate death, was now restored completely.

"Wake up… Julian"

Harry called him by the name he used to have and finally kissed him, softly and slightly breathing into the blonde's mouth. That sole action put the heart into work and his lungs filled with air, Draco was alive.

"I… got it"

Harry couldn't stop his laugh, he was crying but Draco's words just made him laugh, the Slytherin was holding the golden ball tightly in his hand and was smiling.

"Yeah, you got it… But we won"

Through tears, they both laughed hard, they recognized each other from the past and knew that from now on everything would be completely different. Those who were loyal to Draco's true identity also kneeled down, the rest just looked at the whole scene in awe and completely lost.

"You brought me back… Shun"

"I need you… There's no way I could have keep going without you"

Draco made a face but smiled nonetheless.

"Now… That was corny Harry"

"You like corny Draco, don't try to fool yourself"

Harry took him in his arms and hugged him tightly, everything was clear now, the dreams the fact that Draco could hear him no matter what kind of charm he used. Now he understood the reason why Sirius was still alive and suspected when that may have happened. Everything was clear but with that knowledge it came another one, something that made both boys open their eyes wide and with fear.

The barrier that had been created suddenly disappeared and while most of the teachers helped to stop the students going closer, Snape, McGonagall, Dumbledore, Remus and the large dog that was Sirius were next to the both boys. Snape noticed that some of the students were helping the teachers to stop the others from getting closer and recognized them as followers of the boys and some others.

"Lord Poseidon!"

Neville had left the others to take care of the students, he had been the closest one after the first war and was the first to know about his lord's love for the other god.

"I am fine Sorrento Siren… Please keep it down, there are mortals among us here, too many for my taste"

Draco looked at his loyal follower and had to stop himself from laughing, the irony was just too much. The headmaster and professor McGonagall were completely lost, they would ask later, that was for sure, but right now their duty was to help their students.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy… Are you hurt?"

Harry looked at Draco and then turned to look at Dumbledore.

"No, headmaster, everything is ok…"

Snape stood up and looked at the two outsiders, as he saw it, they now represented danger for his lord. They were too close and since both were powerful they could understand their words, for most mortals those kind of talks never reached their ears, never registered and were forgotten very quickly.

"Albus, Minerva, we will take care of them… You know I am not the best person to deal with hysteric people"

He was about to turn around and kneel again when he raised his face and smirked at McGonagall.

"We got the snitch"

At those words Draco raised his hand and showed the golden ball still in his hand.

"We won"

She answered back and smiled, Dumbledore took McGonagall's arm lightly and then guided her towards the rest of the students. It was obvious they wouldn't leave the matter just like that but for the moment it was better to calm everyone down. Snape kneeled once again and looked at Harry.

"Lord Hades, I am deeply sorry for not realizing before"

Harry smiled softly to him and took one of his hands.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Rhadamanthys Wyvern, you have always been my most loyal servant… As well as you two, Hypnos, Thanatos… You needed to be awaken by me"

The two men and the dog felt as if they had been blessed, and somehow they had been. Draco sighed and looked at Neville.

"Siren… I mean, Neville… Now that we have awakened finally everything might get even more complicated"

"I know my lord… Sea Dragon is in his way surely… Sea Horse…"

"I know, but you don't need to worry about him… He will have to deal with Tethis"

At those words both of them couldn't help but laugh, Harry looked at him and shook his head. They both stood up and before the others kneeled down they stopped them, they were being observed and it wouldn't be good if the whole school saw two teachers and a dog kneel in front a student, or for Neville to do so in front of Draco.

"We must get going, the rest will know what to do for the moment. Severus, Remus, go with Draco to the infirmary, just for appearances. Neville, Sirius you two come with me we need to go back to our house to celebrate… They will be expecting that"

And at Harry's words the whole scenario fell on them, even if they had awakened they needed to keep things as they were supposed to be. Besides, they still had to deal with Voldemort. That thought made Harry stop the other three from leaving.

"Draco… After Madame Pomfrey has checked you please meet me in the usual place… We need to talk"

Draco nodded, and noticed that even thought he still had his 'mission' form Voldemort, it did not bothered him anymore. And also knew that it was not a secret anymore, Harry being who he was knew already and now they could create a better plan.

-.-.-

"Finally!"

The twins smiled at the same time, even though they knew what was to come, they took the most shiny cloaks they could find and apparated right away. There was too much to do to wait to be called, they knew there would be some scolding form their gods but both gods were used to them already.

They appeared right at the outside of the gates and as soon as they apparated they disappeared again.

"This is your fault, you're the one who always forget everything…"

They went back to the store and talked with their employees, left everything ready for their absence and then left again. The four attendants looked at each other and then just shrugged, already used to the twins weird acts.

-.-.-

Narcissa Malfoy was a strong woman, someone you respected right away after you met her. And now, that she had got her memories back she was stronger than ever. The problem was that she was now a strong and very powerful pissed woman. Since Voldemort had stopped using her house as HQ she had felt more relaxed, the thought of her son having to fulfil a duty for that mad man had been eating at her, but now she had no worries, and would just wait.

"Lucius Malfoy… You better get yourself ready"

She said to her reflection, she was as beautiful and splendorous as ever, and now with her true identity flourishing she glowed more than ever. She brushed her hair, looked at herself in the mirror, and smiled.

-.-.-

Draco, after a boring talk with the nurse and the help of Snape and Remus, could finally go and headed straight away to the Room of Requirement. He didn't knock just entered the room and the door sealed itself behind him.

"I thought you would take longer"

Draco laughed lightly and rapidly approached Harry, even thought they needed to talk the need to touch each other was stronger. They hugged and kissed as if they had been separated for ages, and in a way they had been.

"I missed you… Julian"

Draco smiled at the name, even thought that life had ended tragically he would never forget the good moments before the battle.

"I just hope this time we can live longer…"

Their embrace turned tighter, as if they could protect each other with just that action from the brother they knew would appear soon.

"I know he awakened too, I just can't feel him… I don't know who he might be"

"It doesn't matter, this time we might have a better chance than before… We are stronger Shun, and she's here too, back then she had not reincarnated"

Harry sighed, hearing his old name, he liked it but he was Harry Potter now, the name would change every time. He let go of his lover and sat on the edge of the bed, now more serious and worried, it was time to get ready.

"Draco… About your mission"

Draco tensed a bit, they still needed to get the duality that they were become one, so they would be the humans they had been and the gods they were now.

"You don't have to worry Draco, it is me the one who decides who comes and go… Dumbledore will not die by your hand… However, you must defeat him"

"Why?"

"Because prophecies must be fulfilled from time to time, and this is one of those times…"

Draco growled, if there was something he hated were those.

"I hate prophecies… I've never liked having my life foretold, do I have no say in my own life?"

"You do have, because this prophecy is about me, not you… But for it to happen I need your help"

Draco shook his head and sighed and sat down next to his lover on the bed, there was something he needed to know too, something he had just remembered and which was immensely important.

"Harry… About the Golden Boy"

With all the chaos and then Draco's departure to the manor and back he had forgotten to tell him, also the fact that he didn't want to betray Snape's trust.

"There's no need to worry about him anymore Draco… With all the problems we have had lately I had forgotten to tell you… He is back to his righteous place in my mind"

"How?! And why didn't you tell me?!"

Draco was getting angry and an angered God of the Sea was not good.

"Severus helped me… I didn't ell you because, as I said, with all the problems going on I just forgot… It happened just before you had to go back to the manor, after that we barely talked…"

Draco felt a bit guilty, he had been avoiding Harry on purpose and he now regretted it.

"How did he help you?"

Harry looked down, he was ashamed of what had happened, and if possible he wouldn't have wanted Draco to know, but now that was impossible.

"I… I lost control after a meeting with Dumbledore, he presented himself in front of him and then left, I tried to overpower him but it was in vain… He took control and headed towards the ministry, Severus followed him though… He-"

"Was trying to change the past wasn't he?"

Harry nodded and closed his eyes, letting himself fall back on the bed.

"He had taken one of the bigger time-turners and would be back just in the moment Sirius had come back from the veil to throw him back again… Severus stopped him and forced him to go, I was so ashamed of myself. But he told me that I shouldn't be, that he knew the method to start getting him back inside my mind… Just now, when I recovered my memories as Hades I managed to finally seal him completely"

"How so?"

Draco rested his back on the bed too and started caressing Harry's face softly.

"Severus started the healing process making me understand that it hadn't been my fault, no, not understand, more like acceptance. I had carried the feeling of guilt ever since Cedric's death, and after Sirius that sense of guilt needed a relief… It was then that the Golden Boy appeared, because I needed someone to punish and since I though I was the responsible… Well, you get it"

Draco nodded and kissed his eyebrow softly.

"Yes I get it… You're an idiot, but you're my idiot"

"Draco"

Warning voice but the blonde didn't care a shit about it.

"I am right Harry, and I'm sure everyone thinks the same… I understand why he had finally gotten under control, your consciousness as Hades made you understand that it definitely wasn't you… Actually the fact that he took the life of people who weren't supposed to die yet piss you off so much, that it is impossible that the Golden Boy could fight against it"

"Exactly… And do never call me an idiot again"

"Don't threaten me Harry, it has never worked… By the way, there's something I want to know"

Harry nodded still with his eyes closed, telling Draco that he could proceed.

"Why does me defeating Dumbledore affects your prophecy?"

Harry tensed, that was something he would rather not tell him but knew that now he had made the question he wouldn't be left alone till he answered. Harry opened his eyes and answered him as truthfully as he could without revealing too much, expecting Draco to understand that there were things he couldn't talk about yet.

"Because Voldemort, Tom Riddle, is looking for something that belongs to me"

This picked Draco, even though he knew his lover, Hades, better that anyone else, he also knew that the god had done things no one knew about.

"Can I know what that thing is?"

"I would prefer if you didn't, I created it together with two other things during a time of boredom, I tricked three brothers and now it seems things got out of control…"

Draco sighed, it seemed that the only time when Hades behaved the best was during his incarnation as Shun. He would know about it though, not right now but he knew Harry would finally tell him when he deemed the time was the right.

"Purest man on the earth my arse"

"Hey!"

"It's the truth, better keep you as busy as I can… Your boredom rampages tend to always end in disasters"

Harry grinned and shrugged.

"As if you were a saint… Heh, now that I think of it you-"

"Stop right there before I kill you"

Harry laughed hard.

"I would come back"

"Good, that way I could kill you again"

"Mean…"

Draco looked at him and grinned evilly.

"Draco Malfoy at your service… You know? I kind of like much more this life"

"Let me check were is your grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy is his name if I'm not wrong"

"Now that's low, and frankly it would be more annoying for my father than me… You know, now that I think about it…"

Harry just laughed and pulled Draco down embracing him and kissing him softly, when they separated they just lay there embraced in silence. Despite the jokes and all that they were scared, not because of Voldemort, but because of something else, something much more powerful.

-.-.-

Azkaban is known as the most secure prison of the magical **and** muggle world, even if said muggles were not aware of it, but frankly way too many people had already escaped and now it happened again. The attack had been successful and quite fast, it was near full moon and as Voldemort had expected that helped a lot with the attack. Greyback went wild and savaged as many guards as he could. Aurors did the best they could to help but just a few were captured back, however they also paid a price.

"How many?!"

Williams was tired and his face was pale, not because of the battle but because of what he had just seen, he managed to answer anyway, but for him it was not important anymore.

"Just three, the rest managed to escape"

The other auror frowned but the face of his companion worried him.

"What happened?"

"Weasley was attacked… By Greyback, he was taken to St. Mungo's with the other guard, but it seems that he was the worst of them all"

"Shit"

They stayed there, there was still a lot of things to do and reports to fill, but they both wanted to go to the hospital. Arthur was their friend and had known him since a long time ago, they knew how much the attack on his son would affect him and both wanted to be there for him.

-.-.-

Harry had been told about the attack and of course about Bill's state, he had left at once leaving Draco to take care of the rest. The school was in havoc after what had happened during the match, no one understood anything and since then Remus and Snape had been inside Dumbledore's office.

"In other words, Harry is the incarnation of the Greek god Hades and Malfoy is none other than Poseidon… You two are Hades' followers as well as many others, and Malfoy's followers are also here…"

Snape now couldn't look at the headmaster the same way, he still respected him but he was so conscious of his own self that for him Dumbledore was nothing but a mere human, with magical abilities. So his posture was the one of someone in a higher place giving the honour to a human to talk to him.

"Goddess Athena is also among us and with her also her saints, we are many and from now on will not be ruled by human's laws, though we will keep the façade. For us, is even more dangerous if humans know about our existence…"

Dumbledore knew there was something they were not telling him and that worried him even more.

"Severus, you know that for me the most important thing is the welfare of my students, I need to know what is to come"

"Only lord Hades can decide if you are worthy of that knowledge, you could try asking Draco, but I really doubt he will tell you anything… And before contacting him you better contact his marines… Be careful Albus, and even if he decides to tell you, understand that this is something bigger than you"

Dumbledore had seen and learned many things during his life, but this was something he was not prepared for.

"Who can I talk to before calling Draco here?"

"Neville Longbottom for the moment, or Fred Weasley the both of them are high rank marines, also Narcissa but I recommend to stay away from her for the moment"

Now that Draco's family had been mentioned Dumbledore needed to know how much power the Malfoy's had and how this could affect the war.

"And Lucius?"

"Lucius Malfoy is Draco's right hand, whatever Draco says Lucius will do…"

Dumbledore turned from Remus to Snape and sighed.

"Severus, you said the raid would be today, what do you know about that?"

Snape had to hold back his urge to remind the man who he was, for Dumbledore he would always be Severus Snape, he was far too old to start again.

"I still don't have any notice of that particular operation, Riddle will surely contact me soon…"

Just as he finished Kingsley's head appeared in the office's fireplace.

"Dumbledore! Most of the Death Eaters escaped! We are tracking them right now but I need you to bring the Weasley's children to St. Mungo's as soon as you can! Bill Weasley was attacked by Fenrir Greyback, and is being treated as we talk"

That made all forget the current theme, besides, Dumbledore already knew to whom he needed to talk to for that. Remus went pale, Sirius had been writing to him and he knew how he felt about Arthur's oldest son.

"Severus, I must go… Sirius, I must go to him before he does something stupid!"

Snape nodded and let him go, there was nothing he could do right now and there was still the problem of taking care of the confused students. Kingsley dismissed Remus' worry and left the fireplace.

"Is Sirius also Harry's follower?"

"He is also an spectre, Remus and him are brothers… I must leave now headmaster, you can talk to Minerva if you want, just understand that right now ignorance is the most… Beneficial"

Snape turned around and left the office, leaving Dumbledore feeling a hundred years older than he already was. He contacted McGonagall and asked her to bring Ron and Ginny to his office.

-.-.-

"Sirius! Sirius Black were the hell are you?!"

The man he was looking for appeared a the top of the stairs and looked ready to leave.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"You should know by now Thanatos… I'm going to get rid of a certain demented wolf"

"And expose us?"

Remus stood in front of him, defiant and ready to use all his power to keep the man inside the house for the moment.

"He might have killed him, he is also responsible for your current state and many more… He must be finished"

Remus prepared himself to use his fury state, he had once fought his brother with it and won, but the destruction had been terrible.

"Thanatos-"

"No, Hypnos please understand… You will have your chance, just not right now. If you really want to do something then come with me to see him. He will be pleased to see you I'm sure"

Sirius looked at him in the eye, and knew his brother would do everything he could to stop him, besides, he did want to go see Bill. Harry would make sure for the man to survive but he had been bitten, and no one knew what would happen since the werewolf had still been a human when he did it.

"As you wish brother… But Greyback is mine"

Remus nodded and gave him a vial with potion.

"What is this?"

"Concealment, it will change some of your features…"

Sirius eyed the vial with distrust, not because it was surely from Snape's private stock, but for what it make him look like. He took the vial and not wanting to lose more time he drank it all. He felt his body changing, mostly his face and he walked to the entrance to see himself in the mirror there.

"They wouldn't think it twice if you looked like another Weasley, the potion won't last too long, so once there you must be careful"

"It would be better if my name was finally cleared, don't you think? Not many know that I _died_"

Sirius had now red hair and blue eyes, his nose was a bit bigger and his lips thinner and of course the freckles, so he would look as a relative.

"If I see Rhadamanthys anywhere close I will kill you…"

"He's still in the school, there nothing he can do right now… But I think is lord Hades you should be worried about"

Remus smiled evilly and turned around.

"Asshole"

-.-.-

Lucius Malfoy was considered a man of great status, someone most people would never try to oppose to, but right now he was being screamed at and scolded like a baby.

"And for our lord's sake! What were you thinking when you decided to follow those instructions?! Our lord needed us here! That disgusting piece of shit dared to use him! Him! Lord Poseidon being used as a puppet by a mere human! A filthy one at that!"

"Dear, please… How would I have known? I just awakened, it happened during my stay in prison!"

Lucius was all dirty, his hair tangled and the clothes he was using smelled funny, just to say something, and that was the reason Narcissa had him still in the entrance and she was standing at the stairs. And Lucius was sure he had been infected with some kind of magical pest, because his head itched like hell.

"Narcissa, please let me in, I really would like to take a shower"

"You're not entering this house in that state! Go and bath in the river!"

"But-"

She raised and eyebrow that shut him up right away, once the look was given Lucius knew he had no other option than doing as told. Back then he had fell in love with Thetis, the problem was that they never had the chance to marry, nor they lived together, now he though how lucky he had been back then.

"Take this with you, I will not let you walk naked around the house… Not in the state you are. And you better hurry up, our son need us!"

"Yes dear"

He took the clean robes she levitated towards him and left the entrance.

-.-.-

St. Mungo's hospital was already used to many different weird things, but this time it was something very complicated. The patient had been bitten by a werewolf but in his human form, the repercussions of that kind of bite were unknown, and while the medi-wizards did their job the family of the patient waited in the hall, scared and devastated.

"Molly, please calm down…"

"I can't, my boy is in there and no one here knows what will happen to him!"

Sirius was a bit more calmed, mostly because of the threat Remus represented, but if they didn't say anything soon he would break into the room one way or the other.

"Remus, you know about this more than any of us… What do you think it will happen to him?"

Harry's voice was calm but it still was the voice of his lord.

"The only thing I can be more or less sure is that he will not become the same thing as I am, only the bite of a transformed werewolf will do that. But he still was infected, just partially… My best guess is that he will become a bit more aggressive"

They had seen Bill before he entered the intensive care ward and Molly had actually passed out. His face would never be the same as scars would form and stay, the bite had been on his shoulder and it was already purple almost turning to black, which meant the skin around the wound had started to get necrotic. Usually that would take a while but this was not a normal wound, the scar there would be probably the worst of all. He had two broken ribs and one leg but they couldn't do anything for those until they treated the bleeding wounds.

"Please help him Remus, this will be very difficult for him"

"Don't worry Arthur, I plan to be there for him even if he doesn't want to.

Sirius grabbed one of Remus sleeves and pulled him to a side, till they were far enough to talk without being heard by the others, at least by the humans.

"Remus will he…"

Remus looked at Sirius and understood the unspoken question.

"Probably, he was insecure enough as I managed to read from your letters"

"I need your help then, back then you were my friend so the feelings were different, this time I'm not sure I'll be the right person to make him understand"

Remus smiled sadly and put a hand over his brother's shoulder.

"Don't jump to conclusions so fast Hypnos… Yes, he probably will feel not good enough, he will feel tainted and more related to the beast than his human side. But he's smart and will finally come to understand, of that I'm sure"

"Thanks…"

Remus shook his head and without another word pulled Sirius back to the group.

-.-.-

The twins had to separate, they were brothers but they first where a saint and a marine and had to report to their respective gods. Fred followed his lord's call to the shore of the lake and once he had seen his lord and some of his other companions he quickly approached and kneeled.

"Lord Poseidon, Sea Dragon reporting himself"

"You shouldn't be here Kanon, your kin is gravely wounded"

Fred lowered his face the worry showed clearly on it.

"My lord comes before anything else, even family"

Draco smiled and put a hand softly over his marine's head, that sole expression of care was enough to calm the man completely.

"Go to the hospital Fred, right now your family needs you more than I do…"

Fred felt tears forming in his yes and then falling, thanking his lord.

"Thank you Lord Poseidon, I will be back as soon as I can"

"Take your time Sea Dragon"

Fred bowed to him and left quickly towards the castle to look for his brother, he knew they surely would be in the astronomy tower, she had always liked high places, like reaching the stars. He didn't go up though, he wouldn't interrupt the reunion of a goddess with her loyal followers.

"Lady Athena, Gemini Saga reporting himself"

She smiled at him and he felt completely at peace right away, just like the other followers there.

"Saga, do not worry about me… Right now there are no threats, you should go to your brother"

"But Lady Athena, my place is here with you"

She touched his face gently and he couldn't stop his eyes from closing and feeling complete peace.

"Thank you princess, I will report back to you as soon as I know everything is alright with Bill"

He bowed respectfully and turned around leaving his goddess, Luna looked at him with worry in her face, he had gone through so much already. This was probably the first time he had the chance to be happy.

-.-.-

Bill was still being treated and diagnosed, Fred and George had finally arrived and were quickly informed by Harry. They felt a bit uneasy in front of him but their friendship, formed before they all remembered their past, was strong and would still be there. They had noticed Sirius appearance, any other time they would have liked to annoy him, but the man's face spoke for himself.

"Mom and dad won't like this…"

George nodded and decided to be by his brother and friend's side, in these kind of times love should be encouraged.

"We better talk to him, no one else he can talk to knows that much about Bill"

They approached the two men and silently recognized their status and rank, Remus sighed softly and stood up, letting the other two to help were he couldn't, but the two didn't take seat.

"Lord Hypnos, come with us"

The man looked startled at being called by that name, but after registering the two men identities he sighed and shook his head.

"I'm not in the mood to talk right now"

"We are not asking as servants of our lords, we are asking as the brothers of the one you feel so deep for"

Even though his rank was way higher than the other two, he felt a bit of fear, for those two were talking to him as the kin of the one he loved. So he decided to approach the matter from a mortal point of view.

"Then call me by my wizard name"

They looked at each other and then back to Sirius, both smiled sadly but nodded.

"Then, please Sirius, come with us"

He looked at Remus and Harry and the last nodded his head, the rest of the family didn't pay that much attention, since they all were more worried about Bill than what could be happening with those around. Molly and Arthur had their eyes fixed to the door that lead to their son's room. Ron was trying to calm Ginny down and Charlie had gone to the ministry to try and beat some sense into Percy's brain, for the family was first and in times of pain they should be together. So, Fred and George took Sirius with them to the fifth floor, to get something to eat and some coffee.

"So…"

Sirius was nursing his cup of coffee, not really hungry and thus letting the twins eat the food.

"This is not a trial Sirius"

"We know your feelings are real"

Sirius sighed again, he was really nervous and wanted to be next to Bill as soon as possible, but he knew this was for the best.

"They are, though nothing has happened… Bill is… Really insecure"

"So, you have not-"

"No!"

The twins looked at each other and risking a future beating they both slapped Sirius on the head.

"Hey! You seem to forget you place!"

"That's because you're an idiot!"

Fred spat back, they wouldn't let the man get all high and mighty in his current position. Sirius was about to answer him but was interrupted by George.

"He's right you know? I can already imagine how your mind worked this out. You pushed him, maybe even kissed him but then, and before he could say anything pushed him away. All that because you didn't want to do the deed for the wrong reasons"

Sirius once again was going to answer when Fred continued his brother's phrase.

"Which is really stupid when you don't really know Bill completely"

"You see, with Bill, you **have** to push or you'll never get an answer"

In spite of the circumstances, both men were smiling mischievously which was something to be afraid of.

"So, once dear Bill gets out of the hospital you will jump his bones without warning and have your merry way with him"

"You two are insane, that's your brother you're talking about! If I were in your place I would have beaten the crap out of myself!"

"As we said, that's because you're and idiot… We know Bill even better than our mother, so you do as we say or you'll never go anywhere farther than that little kiss"

Fred nodded at his brother's words.

"Exactly, so once he's allowed visits you will go in there, take a firm hold of his face kiss him deeply and ravish him to your heart's content… Believe me, he will appreciate it"

"Hades is going to ask Pandora to deal with me… And that woman's more terrifying now that she used to be"

His two companions frowned and looked at him with confused expressions.

"What does Pandora has to do with anything?"

"Ok, it seems that you two forgot that my godson, Harry Potter, is also my Lord Hades, and Harry cares deeply for the Weasley family, and let me remind you that there's a reason I look the way I look right now"

They looked at him in silence for a moment before bursting into almost hysterical laugh.

"You two better stop it before I kill you… Or worse"

"I'm sorry, but this is just too damn hilarious"

"Sirius, you're forgetting that we've known Harry far longer than you… He won't send miss Parkinson after you, though he might send Cerberus"

Well, that wasn't so bad as he saw it as he could become a dog himself and he was also a god and was loyal to Hades.

"If I had to choose, I take the dog anytime"

Fred was glad that the tension the man was feeling had finally vanished, they all were worried but at least the man would be able to think more clearly and help Bill the best he could.

-.-.-

He had finally washed himself thoroughly, and once they had felt their master's presence the house-elves had started to prepare food and one of them brought a fluffy towel and also his wand. When he was captured his wand had been sent to his wife and in anger she had thrown it somewhere in the living room, the house-elves found it and put it in a safe place. He had used it to free himself of whatever pest he had caught and had finally gotten rid of the hellish itching on his head. The problem now was going back to the house and to his wife.

_Lord Poseidon… Why are you never close when I need you the most?_

He sighed in defeat and started his walk back to Malfoy Manor.

-.-.-

Lord Voldemort was pleased, even thought not all his followers had managed to escape most of them had and now he only needed to contact Snape and wait for Malfoy's news. He knew from the very moment he gave that mission to the boy that he wouldn't be able to finish it, so he hoped Snape would do it.

"My Lord, news from the school"

Pettigrew was kneeling in front of him, trembling lightly and handing him a piece of parchment.

"How did he send it?"

"Regular owl"

Voldemort nodded and then moved his hand to let him know he was dismissed, Pettigrew left as fast as he could, lately he had been feeling more remorse than ever. Voldemort read the note and smiled pleased.

"I see… Bellatrix, inform everybody to get ready we will have a meeting… And find out where is Lucius Malfoy, I know he was freed"

"Yes My Lord… And I suspect Lucius is back at the Manor"

Voldemort nodded and she left, he caressed Nagini's head softly and frowned thinking that one of his most loyal followers had not reported to him as he was supposed to do.

-.-.-

Remus had gone to look for the missing trio, Bill had finally been allowed visits and they had been informed about his state. Sirius was the first one to notice him and he felt his heart skip a beat.

"Remus!"

Fred and George both turned to look at the werewolf and hold their breaths in anticipation.

"He will be fine"

The three let their breath go and for the first time since they had been contacted felt their muscles relax a bit. Remus took seat and Fred signalled a waiter to bring him a cup of tea which was what the man liked the most.

"He'll be ready to get visits in a few minutes but we can only go in pairs and must try not to upset him"

Sirius understood his friends words, he was not to enter that room until Bill could regain more strength.

"What did the doctors say?"

George asked scared of the answer.

"Exactly what I thought, he's not infected fully so there's no risk of him changing but during full moon he will get a bit more feral, probably his diet will change also. But in general terms he will be quite normal"

"What do you mean with feral Remus?"

Sirius wanted the whole truth not the honey coated one.

"Basically that you will have to prepare for some rough sex life during those days"

As Sirius face turned every time redder Remus smug smile turned bigger, and of course the twins couldn't stop themselves and started to laugh quite happily.

"You people make me want go back to the underworld"

"Thanatos at your service dear brother"

"As well as Saga"

"And Kanon"

Sirius sighed in defeat, he knew they wouldn't leave him in peace from now on.

"About his diet, you said it would change a little… I would prefer to know in advance"

"Well, he will want to eat meat more often and not very cooked… Tough you will want to use magic to ensure that the meat is clean of any kind of infections… Try to get the meat as fresh as you can"

Sirius nodded he was used to the preferences of a werewolf in days close to full moon, taking care of Bill would not be that difficult, or so he hoped.

"Remus, I know you're busy but please come as often as you can to help him… He needs guidance I can't give him"

"You already asked me that Sirius… Don't worry, I will talk to him"

Sirius closed his eyes and let his head fall, so many things had happened so fast and he couldn't even go out to walk and distract himself.

"I thought you would be here… He's allowed visits now, you can go"

They all turned their heads at the voice, surprised at the fact that they had not been able to detect the God's presence coming closer.

"Lord-"

"Harry… I don't want things to change too much, it was hard, but I liked my life as just Harry Potter"

They smiled and stood up.

"You three go, we will join you in a bit"

Fred, George and Remus nodded and left right away it was clear that Harry wanted time alone with Sirius to talk.

"Harry"

He raised a finger to shut him up and called a waiter to as for a cup of tea and something to eat, a minute later his order was served and the waiter left them alone.

"I know you want to take revenge, so does Severus… You two must understand something, they are the least of our worries… The magical war will come soon and it will be gone even faster, I hope you understand what I'm talking about"

"I do my Lord, but I ask of you to understand…"

Harry smiled and took a sip of his tea.

"I do understand, and I do not intend to stop either of you… But I will not tolerate any inner fights over that kind of matters. You both are looking for the same target but only one will be able to kill him, so you two better get an agreement or I will take the matter in my own hands… And you know how much I hate to stain my hands with the blood of unworthy people"

"I will talk with Rhadamanthys then"

Harry Smiled pleased but promptly frowned again.

"Sirius, from now on, we will call each other by our human's name, only during meetings we will address each other by our real names… Remember that ignorance is best right now"

"We need to meet as soon as possible then, I'm sure Voldemort is preparing his attack and we need to prepare a counter attack"

Harry nodded, he had already been thinking about that and had more or less come to a plan.

"We will fight with magic at first and will only use our power in extreme situations, Draco won't like this, but I must go against Riddle alone… As I need to confront him as both Harry Potter and Hades"

"Is that wise? What if **he** sees? We still don't know who he is"

"That's why I will lead Riddle to another location, I'm sure he's not him for I have access to his mind"

"As you say then…"

Harry finished his tea and took the cupcake he had ordered in a paper napkin, he paid for the food and stood up.

"Lets go then, I'm sure you're dying to see Bill"

Sirius stood up too but shook his head at that comment.

"I can't see him yet, Remus said he couldn't be upset and surely my presence there would do just that"

"I will go in with you, I'm sure he will feel calmer if there's someone with you"

Sirius looked troubled but one look from his lord calmed him right away.

"Thank you… Harry"

-.-.-

Lucius was finally allowed into the house and into clean clothes and robes, Narcissa was in front of the fireplace waiting for him and drinking a cup of tea calmly.

"Dear?"

She turned to look at him she had a parchment with the Lestrange seal on it, opened. Her face was hard even if her demeanour showed a clam and composed woman.

"This just came it was directed to you but I'm sure you don't mind me opening it, do you?"

Lucius paled and shook his head.

"Of course not dear"

"Good… I'm sure you already know what it says but I will tell you anyways"

She opened the parchment and put the cup over the coffee table.

"Lucius, this is Bellatrix, our dear Lord is very upset for your absence. He wants you to report as soon as possible and you better have a plausible explanation of why did you head to your home instead.

Ps: I am really going to enjoy this dear brother-in-law"

Lucius gulped, he couldn't care less about Voldemort and Bellatrix it was his wife's expression what really scared him.

"Thetis please, I beg you to understand, I didn't know any better!"

Narcissa stood up and threw the letter into the fire, she then turned around and approached her husband to finally slap him with her open palm, her stance was always royally and very composed.

"Baian, you better do your best to win my good graces again… Lord Poseidon will forgive you surely, but I am a completely different case"

With that she left to their room and started to get ready, she needed to go to her son and Lord as soon as possible, Lucius followed her and waited.

"I hope you're not expecting to go, are you? Right now you are a wanted criminal who just escaped from prison… Do you want to create even more trouble for Lord Poseidon?"

"But Thetis! I have to go I'm his right hand!"

Once again he shut up at the look she was giving him.

"Not a very good one… You knelt in front of that unworthy human!"

He knew there and then that she wouldn't forgive that so easily if ever, so risking his well being he approached her.

"Thetis, Narcissa… You don't know how much I regret it, back then I didn't know better I thought I was protecting my family… I've always loved you, back in the first and second war, and that love has been growing through the years, please don't let this mistake apart me from you and my son… My God"

Narcissa knew his words were true but she was pissed, Lucius should have known better than trusting someone like Voldemort, a mere human. The Malfoys were proud and were supposed to bow to no one. On the other hand she couldn't deny the fact that their lives had been spared thanks to that decision, for there was no way they would have awakened before Draco.

"That lowly human expects you to show up, what are you going to do?"

Lucius knew there was nothing much he could do right now, they needed to come in contact with Draco first and that was probing to be a bit difficult.

"If I stay I will only create problems for our Lord, is better if the human thinks he still got everything controlled… I will show up but I will not bow nor will he be able to touch me"

Narcissa understood but still hated it, the sole idea of Lucius going there and fake alliance to the man was disgusting.

"Don't over do it, he will suspect something is amiss and Lord Poseidon needs the mortal to think he's in control"

Lucius nodded and dared to approach her, she extended her hand and let him take her into his arms, where she had always belonged. The feeling was right and complete and all the anger she had was soon vanished, yes she would not let it rest that easily but she couldn't deny herself the amazing feeling that came when in her husband's embrace.

"I will be waiting for you at the school, I need to go to our Lord's side"

He kissed her softly on her forehead and caressed her hair.

"Please let him know about my current situation and that I will join him as soon as I can"

She nodded and after kissing him softly on his lips let him go, they walked to the front door and once outside she worriedly saw him apparate away.

"I'll be waiting for you Baian… And soon our lord will have his marines with him once again"

**TBC  
**

Ok, as I said, I have finally revealed the anime series I had mixed HP with. Saint Seiya is a classic and I grew up watching it. I know many people will say that there are some things that do not follow the anime but given the timelines I had to make a few changes, basically the time when they lived as Shun and Julian was before the real timeline of the series. About the wars, for the moment all I can say is that when they talk about the first and second war they refer to all the fights they had during the series and an AU time that comes after the Hades chapters.

I hope you all liked this fusion and even though I'm not sure, most of you had recognized the series and their characters. There's still a lot to come, this fic still have a lot of chapters to go and I hope you will keep following it. Most of the pairs in this fic are not the ones I like in SS, but there are two parings that I maintained, those are Julian-Shun as Poseidon-Hades, and the Gemini twins. In SS Julian would be top and Shun the bottom, but since Harry had to be Hades, then the roles were reversed when they came back.

Thank you all for your kind support and remember that reviews are the only feedback we have.


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